232 
WISCONSIN STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
well with two bundles. If the straw is a little green it will shrink 
and admit air, and cure perfectly. T think farmers might com¬ 
mence cutting their wheat two to four days before they generally 
do, with great profit. After wheat is nicely shocked, keep it so un¬ 
til stacked or hauled to the barn. If a storm comes and blows down 
the shocks, or the cap bundles off, have them set up again. Thou¬ 
sands of bushels of wheat were lost in the northwest two years ago 
for want of care and protection; from shiftlessness and want of care 
at the proper time. 
Mr. Smith. — I am sorry to say that such farmers as Secretary 
Field has pictured are too numerous. I don’t think they are to be 
found in this convention, however, and such seldom read the vol¬ 
ume of Transactions or any agricultural paper, hence it is hard to 
reach them and cause an improvement in their modes of farming. 
Mr. Webster said he had a neighbor who, when he asked him if 
he was coming to this convention, said he did not know that such 
a meeting was to be held. He did not take a paper — couldn’t 
afford it. Mr. Webster thought if he would give him a copy of the 
Transactions he would read it. 
Secretary Field. — Give him a copy, and ask him to let his neigh¬ 
bors read it too. We must educate these men to be better farmers 
and hence better citizens. 
ROOT CROPS FOR THE FARM. 
BY J. W. WOOD, BARABOO. 
I 
As a subject for a paper, the raising of roots for farm use is by 
no means a novel one. It is a common topic in the agricultural 
press, and the subject is professionally treated in all the leading 
works on farming and gardening, but yet we all see objects from 
different standpoints, and mine being exclusively that of a farmer, 
with but ordinary farm resources to command, it may be appro¬ 
priate to offer it to the farmers of this convention. I shall not begin 
by suggesting the southeast slope nor fifty cords of manure to the 
acre, nor subsoil plowing twenty inches deep, though all of these 
are desirable if a person can command them; my aim is to give the 
