Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1868-12-25
Storing and Feeding Turnips.

WHEN the reasons for what we do are
understood, it is very easy to fix things.
There Is too much of mere copying alter
others In some things Our neighbors
do this or that, and we do likewise. 1t
often costs us double as much as our
nelghbor to do just as he did when if we
only knew why he did it, we might have
materials at hand by which we could do
all he did, better, and at far less cost.
This is particularly the case with re-
gard to roots. Very expensive houses are
often made to keep them in, when very
simple contrivances would have done as
well, II the proper reasoning had been
employed on the subject
In keeping turnips, if the air be dry
about them they shrivel; if it be warm,
they grow; if they be exposed to alter
nate freezing and thawing, they soon de-
cay away. Therefore, to preserve turnip
well, we must keep it regularly cool and
moist. Frost will not hurt it, providing
it be not dry frost; that is to say, if a
moist body be around it while it is frozen,
it suffers no injury. Just under the earth,
in barrel, box or room, or anywhere
where it cannot lose its moisture by COM
ing in contact with any body dryer
than itself, they will keep admirably if
there is not heat enough to induce
growth. If they are piled in large masses,
they keep one another warm" hence
they never should be very thick together,
without some non conducting matter be-
ing put between the layers
When, therefore, trrnips are pitted out
OF doors-that is, preserved by being put
in piles-and covered with earth, there
should be put a layer of earth between
every course of a foot or SO deep of tur-
| nips. The earth is very good non-con-
ductor, and will prevent them heating. .
But there is one thing that can be done,
which is not thought of with turnips, but
which is great convenience to those who
have no cellar room, or none to spare for
turnips. They may be put in barrels or
packing cases, and put anywhere where
they can begot at. The frost will not hurt
them if they are so covered as to prevent
evaporation. If taken up just before frost
finally sets in, they may be preserved in
these cases, leaves and all provided, as
we have said before, the cases can be set
where they will be continually cold, for
the least heat would soon make the leaves
| yellow and rot away.
! Turnips are an excellent thing to help
| along dry cows through the winter, and
even mich COWS where the turnip taste in
the milk is not Objectionable. We have
seen'it stated, on what seems to be pretty
good authority, that if turnips are fed to
COWS Immediately after milking, and only
then, no disagreeable taste will beimparted.
This does not seem to accord altogether
with our philosophy; but we shall try it
as soon as we put our COWS on winter
rations; in the meantime we give the
statement as we find it 1t is also said
that one great objection to the turnip for
cows-the danger of choking which makes
it necessary to cut or slice them before
feeding-is removed by using them with
the leaves on. The round roots cannot,
of course slip down the cows Threats SO
/ long as any of the leaf stalks are left as
safety braces. If this should be found q
very desirable practice, it will be the more
essential to save the leaves; in which case
the hints we have given as to how to pre-
serve them, may be found the more valua-
ble.-Forney's Press.