CROPS FOR DAIRY FARMS. 65 



the leaves from the roots on his right hand. It is easier 

 to do this when the man walks backwards. At the end 

 of the row he turns and retraces bis steps in the same 

 row, thus gathering the tops of two rows in one. An- 

 other man follows, and with a diggmg fork turns the 

 roots out into the empty space on his left or right hand, ] 

 as the case may be, gathering two rows of roots into one 

 space. There are thus alternate rows of roots and tops. 

 It is most conyenient for the roots to be thrown in heaps 

 between the rows, leaving spaces wide enough for the 

 passage of a horse and cart, in which they are lifted with 

 a broad blunt fork, with tines bent somewhat, to hold 

 the roots. 



The tops are gathered and put in heaps in a convenient 

 place, covered with straw and then with a little earth, in 

 which manner they may be kept fresh for several weeks, 

 and will afford excellent fodder. The roots are put up 

 in conical heaps in trenches two feet deep and four feet 

 wide, covered with straw and then with earth, thus keep- 

 ing in perfect condition until June of the next year. 

 Care is to be taken to avoid heating, by putting ventila- 

 tors in the top of the heaps to afford an escape for the 

 heated and damp air which gathers in the pits from the 

 sweating of the roots ; round dram tiles, or bundles of 

 smooth straight straw, make excellent ventilators. 



Carrots and parsnips are more difficult to grow than 

 beets and mangels, but with care they will yield a heavy 

 crop of most valuable fodder for winter feeding.. Of 

 mangels the best kinds are the long red and the yellow 

 globe ; of sugar beets. Lane's improved, grown by Hon. 

 Henry Lane of West Corn\vall, Vermont ; of carrots, the 

 long orange, the Belgian and Altringham are most 

 suitable for field cult -.ire ; of parsnips there is but one 

 kind. Parsnij^s may be left in tlie ground all the win- 

 ter with safety, and thus a large part of them need not 

 be harvested in the fall. Turnips of all kinds are unfit 



