284 FOBAOH CROPS 



"It will be noted that all the cows were fed 

 roots, but two lots were fed roots containing seven 

 and one-half pounds of dry matter, equal to about 

 sixty-five pounds of fresh roots, instead of four 

 and one -half pounds of dry matter, equal to about 

 forty pounds of fresh roots. The additional three 

 pounds of dry matter in the fii-st- mentioned cases 

 gave as good results as an equal amount of cereal 

 grains, the cereals consisting either of Indian corn 

 or of a mixture of barley, oats and rye. Roots, like 

 the cereals, are highly digestible, perhaps even 

 more digestible than the cereal grains, and herein 

 probably lies their high value. From the stand- 

 point of the results which they produce, the roots 

 may be looked on as watered concentrates. They 

 have, apparently, a high net available energy." 



Yield of mangels per acre 



When conditions are favorable, the tonnage 

 yield is very much greater than can be secured 

 from corn or other forage crops, frequently reach- 

 ing as high as twenty-five to thirty tons per acre, 

 although the total dry matter is much less than for 

 a smaller tonnage of corn, cowpeas, or other suc- 

 culent forage, and the labor involved is relatively 

 greater per unit of dry matter. The greater ex- 

 pense of the mangel crop is due in large part to 

 the extra cost of cultivation. 



