The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1868-04-10
Minor EARN Crops.

minor ones, says the Rural New Yorker, to
which attention should be paid, and which
viii considerably augment the profits ofbu-
siness if properly cultivated. Their impor-
lance lies in their relation to the other pro-
ducts and operations of the farm, which
they extend and complete. A system Of
mixed husbandry is best adapted to their
introduction, and derives from them the
most benefit. In planning for the various
standard crops, therefore, these minor ones
should not be overlooked. and upon them
we will offer a few suggestions.
A small. area of land devoted to roots.
will afford large amount Of food in proper
ton to the labor and land required, the quail
ity of which is of great value-almost in
dispensable-in its healthful and fatlening
effect upon stock. The cost of keeping
horse teams, which is large, may be great
ly reduced, and their health and vigor pro-
NOTED at the same time, by supply of
carrots for their food. Sugar beets, or man
gel wurtzels, are equally valuable for COWS;
and turnips for sheep. Farmers as a class,
dislike to ''putter" with these crops, but
when man once gets in the way of grow
ing a supply be rarely abandones it; the
greatest difficulty is in getting started. For
growing the long roots, as carrots or beets,
a very good way is to set of and keep a
patch for that especial purpose. In that
case it is likely to be better prepared and
cultivated than if its location be changed
yearly besides, if there is a field especial
ly for the roots, very likely they viii be
grown each year, whereas, if the plan is to
raise them in the field with some other crop,
none but the most thorough farmers, and
they are not in the majority. would carry
it out every year. One acre devoted to the
culture of the long roots may be made to
furnish tOlerable supply for the wants of
the horses and COWS of an ordinary hun
dred acre farm. And there will be some
to spare to the breeding sows and store pigs
which viii devour them greedily. This
acre shoul be of rich Soil we should pre-
fer clay to gravel, and a clay and sand
loan would be best. It should be worked
very deep with subsoil Plow and made
dry then it should be MANFRED. The Gull
tivation ought to be fifteen to twenty inch
es in depth. In this way, although only an
acre is planted, yet nutriment and growth
equal to two or three as ordinarily cultiva-
ted, are got. Al yield of ten. or twelve
hundred bushels annually will result, and
perhaps the farmer will learn such a lesson
about the effects of high culture as will
benefit him to the extent of thousands Of
dollars in other branches of farming. The
method of culture is simple plant in drills
not more than twenty inches or two feet
apart, use a special cultivator-the subsoil
plow run between the rows is very efectual
when the ground gets little hard and dry
thin the plants in the row, and in dig
ging use the plow to throw the dirt from
the roots.
Another minor crop which pays very
well to grow for fall and winter feed, for
COWS, hogs, and fatting sheep, is cabbage.
An immense amount of this food may be
produced on an acre When the grass is
frost-bitten and short in the fan cabbage
saves hay and helps out nicely. Little
pains need be taken in storing it if fed out
! by the middle winter. 1t will keep we'll
! piled under a shed with some straw thrown
over it. Quite hard freezing will not injure
it for feeding purposes. At least the va
cant spots in the corn field made so by
-grubs brother depredators, should be set with
cabbage. Ten thousand plants may be set
on one acre, and all will make feed, though
not solid heads. Very often quantity 10
the best heads could be marketed at prices
which would make the crop average two or
three hundred dollars per acre. Some
growers in New Jersey cultivate forty and
fifty acres in cabbage.
Corn sown for fodder is oftentimes very
profitable; by deyoting few acres to this
m UGH Jess hay aeed be cut, or if fed in the
summer time, less pasture will be needed.
For horses and cattle 1t is especially Valua-
BILE, and when summer drouths burn and
! brown the pastures, it is refreshing to draw
the green, juicy corn, and see the stock fill
themselves. We should prefer sowing it
thiekly in wide drills, Just far enough apart
to admit slow walking horse and narrow
cultivator. If harvested for winter use,
cut early and tie up in small shocks until
cured. Cut and steamed, with ground
grain, no food excels it for milch COWS.
There are many other minor farm crops,
which repay time and labor spent on them;
a patch of buck wheat might often as well
be grown as not on places which otherwise
would produce nothing, aud peas might
precede wheat on clsan sod land, instead Of
summer following. On well organized
farm no land should be idle, aud no oppor-
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