42 



All root crops contain about the same quantity of water and there- 

 fore all answer equally well the second purpose for which they are 

 fed. Therefore in determining which crop furnishes the most nutri- 

 tion, in exchange for the cost of production, we have to deal only 

 with the niitritive qualities, or flesh and fat producing properties of 

 the various crops. And for the sake of convenience I have prepared 

 a table showing the relative flesh and fat forming qualities of our 

 most commonly cultivated roots. Though my results diff'er somewhat 

 from quite generally received statements, I believe they are, so far as 

 is at present possible, perfectly correct ; for the calculations are 

 original, and the analyses upon which they are based were derived 

 from foreign sources, and have never before appeared in English. 



The most reliable chemical analysis of the important root crops 

 gives the following results : 

 Total amount of nitrogenous, or flesh forming material 



in 1000 lbs. of potatoes, 20.3 lbs. 



• " mangels, 11.25 " 



" sugar beets, 10.00 " 



'' turnips, 11.25 " 



" carrots, 13.12 " 



Total amount of carbonaceous, ov fat producing material 



in 1000 lbs of potatoes, 237.4 lbs. 



" mangels, 107.2 " 



" sugar beets, 174.4 " 



" turnips, 81.7 " 



" carrots, 139.1 " 



By ft comparison of these figures it will be seen that as a flesh 

 producer, the potato stands first, while the sugar beet comes last, 

 containing rather less than half the amount of nitrogenous matter 

 found in the former. As producers of fat, potatoes stand first, 

 closely followed by carrots and beets, while turnips and mangels are 

 far in the rear. It therefore appears that were the nutritive qualities 

 of roots the only basis for out- decision, potatoes would be pre-emi- 

 nently the best root food for all classes of animals, and that next to 

 them stands the frequently despised carrot. But there is an item in 

 •Tuiding to the selection of the best root crop, if possible, of far more 

 importance than the amount of beef and fat forming elements it 

 contains ; namely, the cost of production, and hence^ the market 

 value per pound of the nutriment they furnish. Experience has. 



