Democratic standard. [volume] (Georgetown, Brown County, Ohio) 1837-1850, 1841-06-29

action 49,.
The following extracts are from an es
say on the Root Culture, BY Mr.. J. AXE
ley, of Rumford, Name, and published
in the Yankee Farmer:
BUTA-BAeA OR SWEDISH TURNrp.-l
have cultivated Ruta-baga 10 some extent
My method is this: take as much land
as have means for manuring well, that
has been in tillage the previous season,
apply the manure in the fall, and turn il
under Just before the ground freezes up.
BY ploughing late, the frost pulverizes
the soil and incorporates the manure with
it, and destroys the bugs and worms
In the spring, the land will be as light
and mellow as an ash heap. plough
and harrow the land again just before |
SOW the seed. After preparing the ground
in this way, | mark it off into drills, two
feet distant. For the want of a machine
SOW the seed by hand, about the mid.
die of May. AT the first hoeing, cut
the plants all down, about the width of a
common hoe, leaving perhaps half doz-
en- in place. In this way, have plants
to supply all vacant places, caused. by
worms, &c, and some 10 give to my
neighbors.
l generally hoe my ruta bagas three
times in the course Of the season, thin
ing them by degrees: at the last hoeing,
tleave but one in place, about foot a.
p&t. .a,
In this way, have raised at the rate of
more than one thousand bushels per acre
but this is more than a common weld
there can he from six TO eight hundred
BUSHES to the acre raised, as easy as one
half that amount of potatoes, and they
are worth as much, bushe for bushel, as
potatoes TO feed out to stock.
CABBAGE TUNNEL cultivate the cab
bage turnip in the same way as the ruta-
baga. give the preference to the form
er for table use, as they are of better
flavor, end are more hardy-keeping pc r
fectly sound in the ground where they
grow till spring, like the parsnip. But,
on account oftheir being more rooty ,and
growing about all under ground, conse-
quently requiring more labor TO harvest
them, | prefer the latter fer stock.
PoTAToEs are a profitable crop, and
cannot be spoken of in terms of too high
commendation. AS to their general cul.
tivation, but little need be said; every
one who does any thing at farming, knows
very well how to manage with them, -
would observe, that land that will yield
three or four hundred BUSHES of potatoes
to the acre, will produce double that a.
mount of ruta.bagas, or cabbage turnips.
1t costs moro to cultivate the turnips,
but the tops will pay all the extra expen-
ses for labor. Potatoes are excellent
for sheep after lambing; not before, as
they create too great flow of milk -
Buta-bagaS are preferred before lsmbing.
As to feeding stock in general, prefer
ruta.begas, pound for pound, to potatoes.
Therefore, there can be, or is double the
profit in cultivating ruta-bagas for stock
instead of potatoes. .a4
SUGAR BEET AND MANGLH WURTzEL |
are the best root crops to raise for mileh
cows; giving 10 the milk and butter a rich
sweet flavor, and when given to them
literally, with plentiful supply of salt
greatly increases the quantity; and the
cows are kept in much better condition.
With regard to the cultivation of beets,
the same directions may be followed that
are given for the culture Of ruta-bagas,
except the soil, which should be rich,
sandy loan, but they will grow onwuny
soil, If proper care be taken to prepare
the ground.
Manure we'll with rich compost, made
Of stable dung, muck, scrapings from low
places by the highway ,leached ashes,and
manv other substances, which the ingen-
uity ofiudiciousfarmers will enable them
10 select with advantage. Beets should
be planted from the middle Of May till
the beginning of June. The ground must
be stirred through the season, kept loose.
and no weeds be permitted TO choke the
growing plants. They should be harves-
ted as soon as practicable after they have
come to maturity, which may be known
by the leaves beginning to turn yellow.
TO keep them, they should have their
tops trimmed of, and be laid away in a
dry state, in dry cellar, where they will
be secure from frost. In this way, they
may be kept sound during the winter. In
England, where the culture Of roots, prob
aLl.. L.u..4 - T.. ...an.l 49, 81 anv