UTILITY OF ROOT CROPS. 281 



especially if cattle and sheep are turned into the field, and 

 allowed to feed upon them. This means of fertility, and of 

 producing a large and valuable quantity of fall or after feed, 

 is almost wholly neglected by our farmers. How easy it 

 would be, after wheat or winter rye, to sow, say about the 

 twenty-fifth of July, with turnips, and in October a good sup- 

 ply of feed would be furnished for the farm stock. 



In the cultivation of root crops more attention must be 

 paid to the character of the soil, and to its condition, than 

 for the cultivation of grain crops, and hence it is that many 

 farmers who have tried the beet and ruta baga have failed^ 

 by not attending to the proper conditions ; but if the condi- 

 tions are adhered to the crop is as certain, and much more 

 profitable than grain crops. We will now proceed to point 

 out the requisite conditions for root culture, with the theory 

 of the action upon the soil. Attention must be paid to the 

 following particulars. 



1. llie soil. This should not be too light and sandy, nor 

 too stiff and clayey ; a light deep loam or alluvial soil is best 

 adapted to this crop. If the soil is wet, that is, if water is 

 suffered to repose upon the sub-soil, the roots will be injured 

 and the crop fail. The soil should be dry, but not subject 

 to drought. Depth of soil is a necessary requisite for beets 

 and ruta bagas in order that the roots may have full liberty 

 to penetrate as far as needful for their perfection. 



2. A rich soil is another requisite to success. This is de- 

 sirable for all kinds of grain, but especially for root culture ; 

 for although roots do not draw upon soil, like grain crops, 

 still there must be abundant food present, in order to give 

 them that quality and perfection which makes them profita- 

 ble crops. It may be that there is something in the consti- 

 tution or vital powers of these plants, which renders a large 

 quantity of nourishment necessary to their support. They 

 may not possess the power of collecting food, like other 

 plants ; they cannot gather up the nutriment so readily, and 



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