Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1869-06-15
The Culture Of Rutabagas.

lpOn farmers who have never tried to raise
hem, to make beginning this season, as
IN experiment, if nothing more, as they
nay be successfully raised on greensward,
md may be planted any time in this month
II even into July. There is no trouble in
he plants maturing planted even as late
IS the middle of July, the only objections
hat know of to such late planting, being
he press of other work at that time, and |
.he danger that the seed will not germin
ate if it should be very dry weather at the
time Just at this time there seems to be |
a sort of breathing spell'' for most farm
ers and it is just about the right time, ev
arything considered, to prepare the ground
and put in the turnips. have raised them
in my field every year for some eight or
nine years past, and though my crops have
varied somewhat according to the season
and to the soil, yet | have not in that time
failed to raise crop that paid as well at
least as the average of farm crops, and as
what little experience | have had in their
culture may be Of benefit to some, will
give a few plain directions for the prepare
ton of the ground, planting, cultivatiug,
and harvesting the crop, not, however, be-
cause | think my way is better than any
other can possibly be, for l hope to learn
much yet in regard to it from others and
from my own experience.
But first / wish to say word in regard
to the value of rutabagas to feed to stock.
1t is not necessary I think at the present
day to argue to intelligent, reading and
observing farmers, upon the culture of
roots in general as an article of food for
stock in the long winter season when their
food necessarily consists Of 50 large pro-
portion of dry material; as among such
farmers tits universally conceded that roots
to feed, either as 4 regular or occasional
article Of diet, possesses a value in excess
of their nutritive value as compared with
hay; or in other words they possess a med
icinal value, serving to keep the bowels of
the animal in a healthy and vigorous con-
dition, so that they will thrive better
than when fed entirely upon dry food,
though no more food be given them, or in
other words though the food they consume
in all contains no more nutritiye matter
But there Is Il prejudice among many
against anything that is called a turnip,
and / think this arises mainly from the
fact that they make no distinction between
different kinds Of turnips and having per
haps raised and fed the English fiat turn
ip, they think perhaps all turnips are alike
and hence the prejudice against them
Now it should be understood that the
Swede is a different vegetable and contains
much more nutritive matter than the fiat
or English turnip. They are also much
better keepers. Flat turnips soon grow
| tough and corkey-the Swede never does
at least as far as my experience is concern
ed. Mr. I. II. Leverett of Keene, n H
in an article published in the report of the
| department of agriculture for 1868, says
| L liN lllOot NdAutlDlC NlOP VI IllC IOCO hlllNi
think, is the Swedes or rutabagas, but the
most difficult to keep in huge quantities
unless one has well ventilated barn eel
lar" | would say that | have never hat
any trouble about their keeping well, tho
| have never stored more than about 30(
bushels in a pile, and there should be
| good chance for ventilation even for thi
| Quantity, at least for some weeks after har
vesting, or until they are through sweating
&c, recommending strewing dry ashes OF
the plants soon after they come up, t.
prevent the ravages of the fly whicl
sometimes troubles them, he goes on t.
say, The rutabaga has more tattenin
Equality i'll it than any Of the root kind
They will iatten a bullock quicker ant
cheaper than anything else, not excepting
grain The meat will be more juicy ant
tender The best piece of beef | think
ever had was from three years old heifel
fed with these roots, after coming up iron
the pasture in the fall in good condition
feeding twice a day upon the roots an
what hay she would eat. She was fed i
this way till within two weeks of the tim
of Strengthening her; then she was fed upo
corn meal and less roots till the last week
then upon clear meal and hay. Being fe
in this way the last week prevented tn
turnips from imparting any unpleasant fla
vor to the meat. If New England farm
ers would plant even a small piece to thi
crop, for this especial purpose, they woul
find their beef fattening better and at les
leXpense." | will only add in regard to thei
value in this respect, that although cor
trary to the generally received theory W
on the subject, my own experience agree
with Mr.. Leverett's as above quoted. AS
feed for store animals they are relished an
are valuable for everything that weal
hoOfs, horses, cattle, sheep and hogs. Al
other thing in favor of them as compare
with other roots, it costs less per bushel I
raise them than any other root; the ave
age cost here being not over from five I
ten cents per bushel, when a fair crop
Isecured. To prepare the land for them, i
the first place it should be well plowed. /
green manure is to be used it should |
plOwed in, if old, well rotted manur
(which is better apply it on the furrov
and harrow it in. The ground should /
narrowed until free from Jumps and tt
manure if applied ON the burrows, we
mixed with the soil. In regard to soil, al
land that will produce good potatoes wi
e produce good turnips, and sometimes if tt
/ season Is not too wet, a piece that wou
: be too wet for early planting to potato
: will produce a good crop of bagas. Aft
s the ground is well narrowed, mark off tt
t rows two feet apart. This may be dor
: with light pillow, if well rotted manure
= to be used in the hill, but if not, hoe
d chain may be used, or better still "marl
e err may be very quickly constructed,
follows: Take piece of scantling eigl