Experiences of tJie Seven-e Winter 0/ 1890-91. 291 
winter of 1889-90, still fresh in the memory of most farmers, and 
the great difficulty in obtaining labour in many districts, were 
the chief causes why the crop was not secured at the usual 
time. On most farms, however, the mangel crop was saved. 
Throughout the length and breadth of the land the swede, 
common turnip, and cabbage crops were, on the other hand, 
almost completely destroyed, the only exception being the later 
sown swedes. These, where drilled on the flat, took a deeper 
hold of the soil ; hence they stood the severe weather better. 
Cabbages, though producing a large quantity of food, are not 
well adapted for winter use, being equally susceptible both to 
rains and to frost. During the spring of 18f)0 swedes were 
plentiful ; late in March large quantities of sound roots were 
waiting to be eaten oif free of cost on the dry soils of the East 
Hiding of Yorkshire, whereas this year at the same date there was 
not a healthy root to be seen. On sound turnip land, where 
the crop is fed off on the ground, sheep will do as well up to the 
end of November or even to Christmas on soft turnips as tbey 
will on swedes, with a considerable saving in the labour bill by 
allowing the sheep to gnaw the roots on the ground instead 
of passing them through the turnip cutter. 
Roots are no exception to the general principles which govern 
plant-growth. They attain matuT-ity, ripen and decay. In order 
to prevent, or at all events to retard, the last-named contingency, 
they should be taken up and stored ; otherwise, if left in the 
ground exposed to atmospheric changes, their feeding qualities 
deteriorate. The swede crop should be harvested early, and, if 
possible, during fine weather ; the roots keep best when placed 
in small heaps of not more than two cartloads each. A moderate 
covering of earth is sufficient to protect them during the_ severest 
weather, provided they are not exposed to the air whilst in a 
frozen state. The practice more generally obtains of cutting off 
the end of the root with a sharjD knife, and severing the leaves 
from the crown. If for storage in the field, in order to be cut 
and placed in the troughs for the fattening sheep during the 
winter or spring, the system is wasteful. The leaves should be 
severed so as not to wound the crown of the root, and the soil 
should be shaken off without cutting off the ends of the roots. 
By this means all waste from the exudation of juice is avoided. 
The roots are carefully cleaned as required for use, and they are 
found to be more crisjD and nutritious, and hence more palatable 
and better relished by the stock. 
The mild open winter of 1 889-90, accompanied by heavy root 
crops and an over-avernge crop of hay, carried stock through 
