Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1868-03-25
agricultural.
Root Crops.

1t has always been a matter of surprise to
that so few Of our farmers appreciate the
value Of the root crop as an article of food
for stock The labor is not so great as to
deter from raising roots, for it is we'll
known that if iudIciOusly managed the
amount of labor required is but little if any
greater than that required for a crop of corn
any other of orr cultivated crops.
The soil, the climate or the atmosphere,
with us, may not, in every respect, be so ia
vorable that of England, where the root
crop is regarded as second to none in impor-
lance, yet what difficulties we have are to
some extent, within our control and the
reason for our neglect can be only that the
real value OF Swedes and mangolds is not so
generally understood as it ought to be.
The soil requires to be well pulverized.
That is the first condition. But there is no
doubt that the larger amount of food of the
turnip is derived from the atmosphere and
the smaller amount from the soil and much
of this latter is really taken from the atmos
phere in the soil than from the soil itself.
Root crops want good supply of phos-
pilates. When it is considered that good
crop of Swedes on an acre of land often
amounts to many tons, it Will readily be seen
that they can hardly find a full supply of
food IN the soil. Phosphate of lime may be
called the essential food to be supplied artifi-
sirahle to add it in a soluble form, so that the
plant may the more readily take it up The
English farmer has adopted the plan of liber-
al supplies of artificial manures and the trade
In these substances has become immense. The
whole world has been ransacked for phos-
pilates to supply the demands of the English
market. and We have suffered them to be
taken from US TO fertilize the soil of England
when we needed them our own soil.
- Il I'LL
mixture of guano and sup -rphDsphate would
produce better results than either alone. The
mangold needs artificial assistance in the
shape of manure in its early stages of growth
in order to force it into the rough leaf. If
you get good growth in the early stages it
soon gets on to a condition when it can help
itself literally from the atmosphere, and a
good bulb will be the result. We get our
best mangOld crop in our dry summers. 1t is
a native of warm climate and it likes the
sun. Though it does better on sitter soil
than the Swede requires, yet it often succeeds
well on sandy loan. On such soil no
doubt compost of clay and manure well
soaked in the urine of the barn cellar would
suit it best. A most thorough ploughing
should be given as early in the spring as
practicable, and a second ploughing just be-
fore the seed is to be sown.
If the ground is full of couch grass or
weeds OF any kind, the more care bestowed
in cleaning the land the less trouble will
there be in the after culture. The English
throw the land into ridges We are inclined
to think a level culture preferable here.
The distance apart may vary from eighteen
to twenty-fOur inches. 1t is better to allow
plenty of room for the horse hoe and SO save
a good deal of labor which would otherwise
be required. good filth and careful horse
hoeing are essential to success. The hoe
should be started as early as practicable, the
sooner after the leaves are well formed the
better.
The mangold is one of the most valuable
roots we have, and it ought to be more ex-
tensively cultivated than it is. 1t keeps late
into the spring and furnishes much needed
article of food at a season when some sort of
succulent food is required The Swede comes
next. That is useful in the early part of the
winter. The English turnip a sort OF
makeshift which answers very well in Deem
Der, or in making the change from grass tc
winter feed. 1t can be raised easily and in
large quantities -P}oughn10n.