REPORT OF COMMITTEE. 65 



ROOT CROPS GENERALLY. 



A dfj soil is essential for the root crops, yet ?noisfnre is ben- 

 eficial to all, and is indeed indispensable to their growth ; but 

 wet is detrimental to all root crops. 



A rich soil is necessary to grow good crops and particularly 

 the root crops, as nourishing and abundant food is for fattening 

 stock. It is well known that poor pasturage and coarse forage may 

 keep, yet it will not fallen stock ; it is equally true that, ahhough 

 field crops will live and grow upon poor soil, the product will be 

 still greater in a rich one. 



Last, but not least, a good after-culture is indispensable. This 

 consists in keeping the surface constantly moved, killing weeds 

 and thinning the plants ; although the soil may be dry and rich, 

 and deep and well pulverized, yet the labors of the owner will not 

 avail much if he neglects to keep the field clean from weeds. 

 Crowding too many plants into a certain space is like overstocking 

 a pasture, or making beef from half-feed, therefore a moderate 

 number of plants will give much better profit than a large number 

 upon the same soil " crowded and huddled together." This is a 

 hard lesson for farmers generally to learn ; still it must be learned 

 or ill success will follow. 



Finally in the cultivation of root crops, -we have to say to the 

 young man who intends to make root growing a specialty, be not 

 deceived by those who may tell you that a thin, dry, hungry soil 

 " will do about as well as any" provided you will cultivate and 

 manure it. You may as well expect fertile ideas from a shallow 

 brain by being educated with Latin and Greek ; but be satisfied 

 with nothing short of a well drained friable soil. 



It is plain that agriculture has not kept pace in improvements 

 with other pursuits and doubtless from the fact that our young men 

 for the last quarter of a century, have been nurtured and taught in 

 the principle that tilling the soil is low and degrading, instead of 

 being healthy, and honorable and independent ; but as agriculture 

 loses the services of our young men, and as our fields become de- 

 serted for other employments, it is in effect striking out of existence 

 the spring season or having it forget to blossom ; but what is want- 

 ed of our young men, is that they should accumulate facts that 

 shall enlarge the mind and increase the understanding, by bringing 

 into operation those hidden elements of mental perception and 



