Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1869-02-24
ROOT CROPS.
Lecture by Mr.. Perrian, Superintend-
ent Of the Farm OF the Illinois In
dustrial University.

I
Root crops may be classified as fol-
lows: First, those having long taper
ing tap roots, more or less fusifOrm,
as the beet, carrot, parsnip, turnip,
&c. ; second, tuberOus rooted plants.
as the potato, chufa, and the arti-
choke; third, bulbOus rooted, US the
onion, leek, shallOt, and others.
1t is useless for the slOvenly farmer
to attempt the cultivation ofroOt crops
prOfitably, since being of slow growth
at first, and produced from minute
seeds, they require much more care
and attention than corn, wheat, or
other grain-prOduciGg plants; and to
I this fact may be attributed the failure
I of such class of farILers to make the
crops profitable. In fact, the garden,
or truck patches of many otherwise
good farmers, are a disgrace to the
farmer, and a place for every vile
weed that will grow in the neighbOr-
/ hood.
1t is absolutely essential in the sue
/ eessful cultivation of these crops,
! that the land be in a high state of
cultivation, made so by deep plow-
ing, heavy manuring, or the eultiva-
ton of some hOed crop of easy culture.
If the soil is wet or tenacious, il
must be rendered dry and friable by
drainage or manures, which act me
chanieally as well rs chemically, al
ways bearing in mind that root crops,
excepting the alliaceOus, or onion
! family, do not like fresh manure, un-
less il he in the form of a compost,
since it causes them to grow fOrked
and knObby. The time spent in prop
erly preparing the land will be amply
repaid by the quality and quantity Of
the crop.
The so-called, but misnamed, Irish
potato ranks second among vegetable
productions as a sustainer of life in
civilized countries, and the other
roots rank as follows: The beet, as an
esculent and sugar producer the
carrot. as a promoter of digestion, and
The parsnip is valued for its saeeharine
matter, and is an excitant to the ap-
petite.
Bulbs next deserve consideration,
the only prominent one, however, be-
ing the onion. Over-fastidiOus per-
sons object to its use, but it still holds
its place, as it formerly did among the
ancient Israelites, as one of the first
among vegetables. 1t belongs to the
same natural, ,Order-silidcid-as the
as, aragus, hyacinth. tulip, &c. It de
lights in a rich, mellow loan, resting
on dry subsoil, heavily manured
with well-rOlled manure.
HOW TO GROW ONIONS.
a good preparatory crop is peas, the
ground to be frequently plOwed after
no ms mr.
may be added and crop OF turnips
grown, thus leaving the land in the
best condition for the next seasons
crop ofoniOns. Fall-plOw the ground,
and in early spring harrow and roll
until in fine condition; SOW the seed
i'm drills fifteen inches epart, leaving
the plants just thick enough to crowd
each other when fully grown, al
which time it is also beneficial 10
scrape the soil away from them. Do
not cultivate very deep, but keep the
surface mellow, that it may easily alb
sOrb moisture. As soon as the tops
are dry, they should be pulled and
thrown into shallow winrOws, to dry
and mature, after which, store in
cool dry place, until wanted for use.
The shallot, garlic, and top-OniOn are
treated in q similar manner. In the
garlic, the cloves are broken off and
planted; the others are produced by
dividing and planting the small bulbs.
Clean cultivation is in all cases es-
sential.
SWEET POTATOES.
The cultivation of this root is at
tended with considerable labor and
expense, but it is largely grown as a
field crop in Central and Southern
Illinois.
About the first of April, the whole
tubers are planted in a gentle hotbed.
and the plants after becoming well
rooted, are pulled of and placed on
ridges made as high as possible, the
ridges being three and a-half feet
apart, and the plants from Is to Is
inches apart. Clean culture is neees-
sary, and the vines must not be al
lowed to root from the joints. Plant
ing should not be done until danger
from frost is over, and the ground
thoroughly prepared, and warmed by
the sun.
The yield varies from 100 to 200
bushels per acre /; instances have been
known of 800 bushels having been
raised off an acre.
Beets, carrots, satisfy, rutabaga, and
turnips in garden culture, should be
sOwn in drills 16 inches apart, and
thinned to 6 inches rutabagas and
turnips to u inches.
FIELD CULTURE.
1t is not to be supposed that the cuI-
tivation of root crops is of anyeeOnOm-
ical value as compared with corn, es-
timated according to the value pro-
dueed from a given amount of labor. |
If it costs - to produce so bushels !
of corn to an acre, it will cost $50 to |
cultivate an acre of beets yielding
1000 bushels; the corn costing 20
cents per bushel, and the beets scents; ,
so we see that 400 bushels of corn can /
be produced for the same outlay as
1000 bushels of beets. Rutabagas and
turnips cost less, but are not so nutri-
ciOus; parsnips and carrots will cost
as much as beets, are more valuable
for feeding, but do not yield quite so
much.
1t is therefore useless to argue with /
the stock farmer, to prove the ecOnOm- I
ical value of roots for feeding, but /
place root crops in their proper place |
in the rotation of farm crops, and their /
value will remain undisputed.
If YOU have a clover sod, trench |
plOw in the face ten inches deep, har-
row and roll i'm the spring until very |
friable, drill in the beet seed before |
corn planting time, in drills 80 inches |
apart and besides once trimming and |
hOeing. little more will be required |
until the roots are gathered.
BY using horse power and clear land. |
the cost can be reduced one-half, and !
a WELD IF seven To nine hundred |
bushels may be expected
Rutabagas may be sOwn on sod |
treneh-plOwed in the spring, from |
May 20 to June l, and turnips are
sown broadcast after early cut hay, !
or as late as August.
The variety of beet known as mangel !
wurzel is best adapted to field culture /
for stock its habit of growing half I
out of the ground makes it easy to ,
harvest. Instances have been known I
where fifty tuns were produced on l
acre. 1t is eaten greedily by cattle,
hogs, and sheep, both tops and roots, /
and 1 bushels possess rs much fatten- /
ing quality as one of corn, as usually /
fed. Besides, this crop leaves the I
land in the best possible condition for I
any crop of spring grain.
WHO SHOULD GROW ROOT CROPS.
To the owner of but few acres who .
desires to fatten as much stock as pos
a, - -, 81 kr.|