Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1856-03-14
agricultural Rraoing.
GROWING RUTA-BAGAS.

GROWING RUTA-BAGAS.
Turnips, both of the Swedish and com
mon varieties, are cultivated to much
greater extent in England than in this
country. A few years ago we met with
a statement to the effect that the annual
value of the turnip crop in England, with
a population about the same as that Of
the United States, was somewhere III the
vicinity of 20 millions of pounds sterling,
or nearly equal to $1OO,OOO,O00. About
the same time the turnip crop of the
United States was so inconsiderable that
it was not included or reported in the
Census Returns of 1850 at all. Accor-
ding to the above estimate, and the Cen
sus Returns of the Agricultural Products
of the United States, the turnip crop of
England not only exceeds that of the lat
ter country UNNECESSARILY, but is fully
equal to the largest crops we raise. Ac-
cording to the census of 1850, the wheat
crop Of the .. S. was a little over 100,-
100000 bushels, which at 81 per bushel
would make the value of it Just equal to
the estimated value of the turnip crop of
England. In 1850 the hay crop of the
q. S. was 13,838,642 tons; and this at
eight dollars per ton would again be about
of the same value as the turnip crop Of
England. From these data it is very
obvious that this crop is much more high
ly valued in England than in this coun-
try, and much more extensively cultva-
ted.
We were led to make the examination
of the Census Returns, &c, the results
of which have been just stated, in conse-
quence of visit lately made to an En-
glish farmer, who is somewhat celebrated
for raising ruta-baga and other root crops.
He has raised crops of ruta-bagas aver
aging over GOO bushels per acre, for sew
eral years, and Notwithstanding that he
makes as widely known as possible what
he esteems as the advantages and recon-
mendations of this crop, still very few of
his neighbors have ever been induced to
try to raise it. This seems truly surpri-
sing considering that the recommends
tons which he gives of this crop do not
fall much if any below dozen in num-
Der. OF these we remember the follow
ing as the most important.
/. Ruta-bagas are a very profitable or
remunerative crop, as an acre will gener-
ally produce from 500 to 800 bushels,
with an expenditure upon it, for seed, la
Dor, &C., of from $40 to $50. Our in
formant stated that no crop he had ever
raised had cost him as much as five cents
bushel, and that for feeding all kinds of
stock he estimated them, by comparison
with the value Of hay, &C., at average
prices, to be worth as much as twenty
five cents per bushel. After deducting
expenses Of cultivation, there would be,
according to this estimate, a net profit of
oror 0ne hundred dollars Per2sere. nnr
informant assured US that repeated trials
of this root as to its feeding qualities had
made him confident, or as he phrased it,
perfectly certain and no mistake" that
+here is no crop that he raises, or that is
usually Io--aa in the Northern, Middle
and Western States, which is as profta-
BILE, per acre, as this crop.
2. Ruta-bagas make a good and pala-
table food for oxen, sheep and hogs
Horses, also, often eat them.
3. Sheep are particularly fond of them,
and thrive on them.
4. They are especially good for ewes
having lambs.
o. They can be kept easily until there
IS a good supply of grass in the spring
They do not become pithy or deteriora-
ted IN their feeding qualities, as wll.ite
turnips do.
6. They can be planted as a second
crop, as the last week in Jnne or first in
July is about the right time of sowing
in the latitude of APO, and two or three
degrees on each side of that.
Z. They do not 'run the land" as thew
derive much of their nourishment from
the atmosphere.
8. They can stand up in the ground
till all other fall work is disposed of and
out of the way.
These and some minor advantages Of
this crop, having been set forth with some
earnestness and enthusiasm, have deep
ened our conviction of the importance Of
it. To aid in fixing in other minds a
similar conviction we have been induced
to make a record of the principal recon-
mendatlons which may be urged in favor
of 91crp0co1 o++o,4,o.. L. n