The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1839-05-14
,E'H n FA nc IVB h az.
COMPARATIVE VALUE OF HAY, VEG
ETABLES, AND CORN.


There is great deal of excellent sense i'm Mr.
Comans last agricultural Report. We make
brief extract which will be interesting to large
proporion of our readers who are engaged in
agricultural pursuits
wish briefly to draw the attention of farm
ers to the value of hay, compared with other
crops, for TIE feeding of stock. An acre of hay
Yields one ton and half of vegetable food. An
acre of carrots or swedish turnips,will yieh! from
ten to twenty tons say fifteen tons, which is by
no means an exaggerated estimate. 1t has been
asceraned by experiment, that three working
horses, fifteen and half hands high, consumed
at the rate of two hundred and twenty-four
pounds of hay per week, or five tons one thous
and and forty eight pounds of hay per year, be-
sides twelve gallons of oats each per week, or
seventy. light bushels by the year. An urwork-
ed horse consumed at the rate OF four and one
quarter tons of hay in the year. The produce,
therefore, of nearly six acres of land Is necessary
to support working horse by the year but
halt an acre ofcarrots ut six hundred bushels to
the acre, with the addition Of chopped straw,
while the season for their use lasts, will do as
well if not better. These things do not admit
of doubt. They have been subjects of exact
trial.
1t is believed that the value of bushel of In
dian corn in straw and meal, will keep healthy
horse ia good condition for work week. An
acre of Indian corn which yields sixty bushels
will be ample for the support Of horse through
the year. Let the farmerthen, consider wheh.
er it be better to maintain his horse upon the pro
duce Of half an acre of carrots which can be
cultivated at an expense not greatly exceeding
the expense of half an acre of potatoes or up.
on half an of ruta baga which can be raised
at less expense than potatoes, or upon the
grain produce of an acre Of Indian corn, or on
the other hand upon the produce of six acres Of
his best land in hay and grain for six acres
will hardly do more than to yield nearly six tons
of hay and seventy eight bushels of oats. The
same economy might be successfully introduced
into the feeding of our cattle and sheep
These facts deserve the particular attention
Of the farmers who are DESTROYS of improving
their pecunary condition 1t is obvious how
much would be gained by the cultivation which
Is here suggested; how much more stock would
be raised, how much the dairy produce might
be increased and how much the means of
riching the land, and improving the cultivation,
would he constantly extending and accumulat
ing But when we find on farm of two hum
dred acres, that the farmer cultivates only two
acres of potatoes, one acre Of ruta baga. and
perhaps quarter of an of carrots, we call
this getting along in the common phrase; but
we can hardly dignity it with the name of farm
ing. l am aware that laborofa proper kind is
in many cases difficult to be procured, and with
our habits as difficult TO be managed Farming
likewise, can in few situations he successfully
managed, unless the farmer has capital to
ploy, equal at least to one years manure, and
one years crops. A large portion OF our farm
ers also, from the nature of ,he;: habits and style
of living. are so prosperous independents 'ha'
ahey have no occasion to extend their cultivation
beyond what it now is, in order to meet their
wants and TO incur all the trouble, veXation,
and risk of employing more labor, expending
more capital, and increasing their cares.
A PLEASANT COUNTRY western editor de-
IL ,I,arI