Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1868-11-06
NASHVILLE UNION AND ANERoAN FRIDAY NOVEMBER s 1863

ances for cutting them UP and crushing
them, we gave them all up as not paying
the expense, and taught our cattle to pre-
pare them for themselves, which they
easily do by having large, well grown
roots thrown before them, either in the
stable or feeding yard. They first COM
mence by nibbling and finally learn to
hold them firmly to the ground and serape
them into pulp, or break them into pieces
with their under jaw and teeth. There
is no doubt, however, that if horse or
steam power is employed upon the farm,
it may be proftably used in reducing the
roots and carrying them to the animals in
a well appointed stable.
We hold that in the cultivation ofroots
for feeding purposes the proportion should
be about one >half Swedes and oneShalf
sugar beets or mangel wurtzel, growing,
at the same time, such a quantity of car
rots and fat turnips as may be considered
profitable. The carrots are especially
desirable for mich cows, and for their
sanitary value to other stock.
The cultivation is very simple, clean,
rich land being indispensable, not recent
ly MANFRED, however, with coarse, nitro
ge1ous manure, since it tends to make
the roots grow forked, and full of spur
roots. A proper distance between the
drills would be from tW enty-six to thirty
inches, on account of ease of cultivation
by horse power, and at that distance the
beets and Swedes may be left at from six
to nine inches apart We should plant
carrots notmore than sixteen inches apart
and cultivate them with some good hand
machine, of which there are now a num-
Der made in various parts ofthe country.
Thin to about six inches in the row.
Keep any and all root crops perfectly
clean. The neglect to do this is the great
source of failure Beets should be har-
vested late in October or early in Novem-
Der, according to the season. Swedes
and carrots NAV be left later They
should 5e placed, after being taken from
the earth, into narrow, sharp ridges upon
the land and covered with the leaves or
litter to prevent their becoming wet, or
frozen, and allowed to sweat, until they
are finally placed in the pits or cellars
for winter, care being taken to give them
sufficient ventilation to prevent ferment"
alton. Swedes should have but little COW
ering of earth, since it does not injure
them to be frozen and thawed in the |
pit
A proper size for the pit would be to
lay off the ground about three feet by |
eight or ten feet, digging in dry soil, say |
eighteen inches deep Fill the roots into
the pit directly on the earth, piling them,
when above the surface, into the shape |
of steep roof Give ventilation by means
of good, strong wisp Of straw, which
should extend to the bottom of the pit.
Cover with hay or straw and sufficient of
earth to keep out water and ordinary
frost, and Just before hard freezing wealth
er give an additional covering Of litter
and es nth. If kept in a cellar, great care
should also be taken in the ventilation
and temperature of the room. Keep it as
cool and dry possible, without freezing
and if plenty of soil is left on them they
will keep better than if cleaned, and will
be better relished by stock than if allowed
% become wilted-Prairie Fdrmer.