Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1841-05-31
AGRICULTURE.
From The ". II, Farmer.

The cultivation Of roots as food for cattle and
swine, has been strongly urged upon farmers nv
the agricultural press for several years past The
columns Of this paper have often spoken, and dis.
tlnctly, upon this subject. cline upon line, and
precept upon precept, here little and there a
uIe," having been dealt out, the farmers of this
vicinity have partially complied with the advice.
But still further compliance may be desirable---
We, however, have not belief that the root
husbandry should he carried to the same extent
in our climate as it is under The moister skies of
England. There the root crop is probably mora
certain than with us; while Indian corn, one of
our most certain and best crops, cannot be
grown in the fogs of the island. We do not sup
pose that it would be found profitable here to rival
the mother land iE the extent of root husbandry.
And yet our faith is strong that it would be prot
table in this region to grow roots more extern
siYely than we yet do. Their aid in working off
oonrser kinds of fodder while the stock is kent i'm
good condition their effects in increasing the
quantity Of milk their utility in making beef
aud pork, and their efficient agency in increasing
the quantity and improving the quality of the
manure heap, all commend them to the farmers
attention.
Bun he raises question whether they do not
cost more than they nre worth. 1t is the great
question; and il is not of easy solution, for the
expenses of cultivation and the value OF the
roots for stock, are by far too much mere matters
OF conjecture. We are satisfied from several
!
manure per acre are applied, that 400 bushels per
acre of roots, taking one kind of roots with an
other may he raised. We havo taking success
sion of years together raised more carrots to tho
acre than ruta bagas or sugar bees. All the labor
upon an may probably be performed for %
dollars, and lift be allowed that the crop by its
consumption will furnish as much manure as it
exhausts in its growth, then the cost of the roots
is but about IA cents per buslo. WIN not the
bushel furnish the four pence ha' penny's worth
of milk, beef or pork? We have no doubt that it
will; and we advise every farmer to raise Mt least
forty fifty bushels for each beast in his barn.
But he says have no land in suitable condi.
ton for such crops. An experiment a small
scale the last season. satisfied us that sward land
newly turned, will answer well for the root Crops
We incline to the opinion that they can be grown
MS economically on such land as on old ground.
But tire new ground must be well ploughed 10 the
4, depth of eight inches or more, and must be
thoroughly narrowed The first Of June is early
enough for the sowing of any Of these crops, and
the ruta baga seed should be kept gu. of the land
to the middle of the month.
Our Gust ON has been TO sow upon level sur
face and in rows not more than fifteen or sixteen
inches apart but we very much doubt whether
it is not better to ridge and have the rows from
twenty four to thirty inches apart. This saves
much labor. Many recommend soaking the seed;
but when the ground is in good condition for the
reception Of seed we have never found benefit
from soaking. On the whole we think the carrot
less subject to injury from worms, 70. or drought
= than the other roots it is as valuable any one
, of them; and though the labor Of its cultivation
is somewhat greater ye! we prefer it for the main
i CROP 1t is well to try some of each kind.
= Accounts are often published OF crops much
a larger than we have named, as the probable pro-
n duce. Without questioning the correctness of
!. those accounts, we merely say that we have tried
to conform TO results obtained under our own eye
of we a prp-
sent the question of root culture fairly and
. allure people into 1t by expectations which must
probably be disappointed.
The cold and wet of the spring, though they
certainly should not bring discouragement, will
cause some hesitation about the planting of corn
II rs extensively as is customary; but we see noth-
q ing in them TO impair the hope that the root crop
- may do as well in this us in any other season.
- We trust that more attention will be given to il
n the present year than it has ordinarily received.