266 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER, 



SIXTH AGRICULTURAL MEETING 

 THE STATE HOUSE— Feb. 13. 



AT 



The eubjert under discussion "as " Roct Crop?," 

 nnd a deep interest was manifested in llic debate 

 throii(;li(iut the evening. Mr Quincy presided. 

 The meeting was very well attended. The editor 

 of this paper opened the meeting with the follow- 

 ing remarks : 



The subject of Root Crops is a very prolific one, 

 nnd might well engage our attention, with profit 

 and interest, for many evenings. The cultivation 

 of roots is of great importance in agriculture. 

 Roots which belong to field culture, are, potatoes, 

 carrots, turnips, beets and parsnips. First, the 

 potato. This valuable vegetable is ascertained 

 to be a native of South America, having been 

 found wild both in Buenos Ayres and Chili. The 

 potato was introduced into England, by Sir Wal- 

 ler Rolei;;h, in 158G, who procured the roots from 

 Virginia, and were first planted by him on his es- 

 tate of Youghall, near Cork. It is said to have 

 been cherished and cultivated in Ireland before its 

 value was known in England. Gerorde, a cele- 

 brated English botanist, had this root in his gar- 

 den in 1597, under the name of Bultata Virginiona, 

 recommending it to be eaten as a delicate dish, 

 and not as common food. Parkinson mentions that 

 the tubers were roasted and steeped in sack and 

 sugar, or baked with marrow and spices, and even 

 preserved and candied by the comfit makers. In 

 England they were received with much prejudice. 

 More than one hundred years after its first intro- 

 duction, the potato was spoken slightingly of by 

 numerous writers. But notwithstanding the preju- 

 dice entertained against them, their great value 

 was gradually understood. It is now considered 

 that the potato, as an article of human food, is ne.\'t 

 in value to corn or wheat, or by some considered 

 of equal importance. 



We must look upon the introduction of the po- 

 tato as a great blessing to mankind. It has, no 

 doubt, been the cause of preventing famine ; in- 

 deed, when this root is cultivated in connection 

 with other crops, we may say almost with a cer- 

 tainty that a famine cannot exist. Most devoutly, 

 then, should we thank God for it, and at the same 

 time, let us ask — How shall we cultivate it to the 

 best advantage ? in what soil .' shall we plant the 



FEB. ai, 1844, 



tubers whole or cut then 



in pieces ? whether in 



hills or drills ? Is it necessary to raise new varie 

 ties from seed ? do the old varieties degenerate ? 

 How does it compare with carrots and other roots 

 in value for stock ? There are questions, gentle- 

 men, which I shall leave for you to discuss. I 

 will only remark that the cultivation of the potato 

 is too often done in the most slovenly manner. It 

 is not uncommon in the month of August, to see 

 fields of this precious root, so overrun with tall 

 luxuriant weeds, that a person would hardly know 

 that potatoes had been planted, unless they took 

 the pains to clear away the weeds. No wonder 

 that a meagre crop of 75 to 100 bushels per acre, 

 is all that is loo frequently realized ; whereas 

 when due attention is given, proper manures, clean 

 cultivation, on suitable soil, the husbandman may 

 be rewarded with tho ample crop of 400 to 500 

 bushels, or even more. 



Potatoes seem to flourish best on new land, but 

 grow well on almost any kind of soil, provided it 

 is not very clayey or wet. Some of the largest 

 crops on record have been raised on reclaimed 



bogs and peat. The farther we proceed eastward 

 nnd northward, the potato seems to improve in 

 quality. A cold season or climate, appears to be 

 most congenial to the perfection of the root. Very 

 hot, and continued dry weather in July and Au- 

 gust is very prejudicial. 



Second, the Carrot. This valuable root is said 

 to be a native of Great Britain, and long cultivated 

 as a garden plant. Its use fur culinary purposes is 

 well known, but as food for cattle, it has not re- 

 ceived that attention among our farmers which its 

 value demands. We are satisfied, by many years' 

 experience, that the carrot is one of the most valu- 

 able roots for afrricultural purposes known among 

 us, and in our climate, worthy of more considera- 

 tion even than the turnip. In New England, it 

 can be brought to as great perfection, and to yield 

 as large a crop, as in any other country. The va- 

 rieties used in field culture, are the Long Orange, 

 Altringham, and Wliite Belgian. The last variety 

 is of recent introduction, and will no doubt pro- 

 duce the largest quantity per acre. It has one pe- 

 culiarity ill which it differs from the other varie- 

 ties : it grows partly above ground, like the beet, 

 and assumes a greenish cast where exposed to the 

 sun and air, but below ground, is of a clear white. 

 I doubt whether the extra quantity will compen- 

 sate for the deficiency of quality, in comparing it 

 with the Long Orange. The Altringham is a 

 coarse-growing variety, of a pale yellow, producing 

 more to the acre than the Long Orange, but yield- 

 ing less in point of richness. '1 he i.iong Orange 

 to me is preferable, and this variety has received 

 my particular attention for many years. Our hor- 

 ses and cows have been liberally supplied with 

 these and other roots. To horses, particularly, 

 carrots are highly serviceable: they require much 

 less grain when fed im them at the rate of one 

 peck per day. 'J hey give tho hair a peculiar 

 smooth and glossy appearance. I have found 

 them to have a salutary effect upon a horse that 

 had the dangerous defect of stumbling: the diffi- 

 culty was nearly overcome by feeding a peck of 

 carrots in the evening, with a reduced quantity of 

 meal with his cut feed. 



The objection often made to this crop, that the 

 expense exceeds the profit, is without foundation. 

 Carrots can be raised with much less expense than 

 potatoes ; aud a bushel of carrots is worth as much 

 or more than a bushel of potatoes, for a horse, or 

 any other animal. 



The soil best adapted for carrots, is a deep, rich 

 loam, free from gravel or sand. The manure 

 should be well decomposed and fine; the ground 

 pulverized deeply, and the manure well incorporat- 

 ed by plowing or harrowing. When the young 

 plants show themselves distinctly, they should be 

 wed. For this purpose, I use the scruffle or Dutch 

 hoe, which may be worked to within half an inch 

 of the plants, if they have been planted in straight 

 lines: this cuts off the weeds just below the sur- 

 face, and the sun utterly destroys them. It will 

 then be necessary to go over the field and pull out 

 the weeds in the rows with the fingers. Carrots, 

 as well as other roots, are planted on ridges with 

 success, and perhaps with less labor: we have 

 sometimes raised them in this way. 



Third, the Turnip. This plant is a native of 

 Britain, but in its wild stale, is said not to be re- 

 cognized by ordinary observers, from wild mustard. 

 The turnip was cultivated for cattle by the Ro- 

 mans, and has been used for the same purpose 

 from time immemorial in Germany and the low 



countries. The introduction of improved turn 

 culture into English husbandry, is comparative 

 of modern origin, and will not date back farth 

 than 60 or 80 years. It hag occasioned a gn 

 revolution in the rural art. It has been observe 

 that turnips and clover are the two main pillars 

 the best courses of British husbandry. 



The value of the turnip crop in New Ennlar 

 however, cannot compare with its value in 

 England, owing to the great difference in the c 

 mate. In England, we are informed, that in en 

 sequence of the winters being more moderate th: 

 ours, the turnip crop is mostly consumed on t 

 ground : the fields arc divided into folds, by 

 wattled, movable fence, and the sheep and call 

 are turned in, and when the crop is consumed 

 one fold, the fence is removed to another part 

 the field. All the excrements are thus left on tl 

 field, plowed in, and wheat sown, thus savinn- tl 

 expense of harvesting iiie crop and cartin^T the ni 

 nure. The climate too, of England is more favo 

 able for the growth of the turnip than our own 

 being colder in summer and much more humi 

 which is more congenial to the turnip family tha 

 our hot, arid summers. 



The turnip, however, should not be underrati 

 here, as the crop may be raised to good advanta£ 

 for cattle and sheep, even herein New Enirlan 

 Turnips should not be sown until the middle . 

 July to the middle of August: their growth wi 

 be made mostly after the cold nights of Seplcn 

 ber. They will flourish on lighter soil than is ri 

 quired for carrots. When sown broadcast amon 

 the corn at the last hoeing, a common custor 

 they are so shaded by the corn, the produce 

 generally small. The finest looking field of tun 

 nips I ever saw, was on the farm of the Hon. Dar 

 iel Webster, at Marshfield : they were cultivate 

 in drills, and perfectly free of weeds. This mod 

 is no doubt the best. 



The varieties of turnip cultivated in Enirlan 

 for stock, are very large, which are sown accord 

 ing to soil or the uses to which they are to be ap 

 propriated. In this country, the rota bao-a an 

 white flat English are about the only sorts raise 

 i for cattle. The purple-lopped yellow fleshed rut 

 baga is considred the best variety. The Earl' 

 Snow Ball turnip is the best variety known for ta 

 lile use. It is an improvement upon the Earf 

 White Dutch, and is not known extensively yet ii 

 our country. 



Fourth, Beets. Of this root there are manv va 

 ricties cultivated by man and beast. The manire 

 wurtzel and sugar beet, with their varieties, an 

 considered most profitable for field culture. Thi 

 mangel wurtzel was introduced from Germany int( 

 England 50 or fiO ye-irs since, and is now mud 

 cultivated for cattle. It is much larger than thij 

 common red beet, and yields crops of such grea 

 weight and succulency, that its cultivation may b«l 

 justly considered of great importance, especiallj| 

 for milch cows, as well as other slock. Cowfj 

 when fed on mangel wurtzel or sugar beet, (tlierel 

 is but little difference in their value,) give a great, 

 cr quantity of milk than when fed on carrots, but 

 perhaps of not so rich a quality. 



Roots embraced in the beet family may be grown 

 to advantage on any tolerably good soil which is 

 moderately moist. If the ground is too wet, and 

 very rich, the roots will grow to a very inrrre size 

 but they are apt to be watery and hollow, and soon 

 rot when taken from the ground. 



The soil must be deeply pulverized and well 



