Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1871-03-15
agricultural.
Root Culture.

The question of food for cows, what can
the farmer raise that will be the best food TO
produce the most milk, butter and cheese,
and that can lie raised in the largest quantl-
ties. at the least expense per acre, Is ques-
ton often considered in agricultural addresses,
often discussed at Farmers Clubs, and has
given many articles to the agricultural press.
Fresh grasses, as produced during the first
half o. the summer months, will give more
milk than any other food. Next to this,
dried grass Grass when in blossom, con
tars more starch, sugar, gluten and albumen,
than at any other stage of its growth, and If
cut at this time and properly cured, loses
nothing but the water il contains. Grass
thus cut and cured, fed in connection with
roots t. make the feed succulent, is the
nearest to, If not equal to the fresh grass
Cows fed with dried grass and roots, Will
produce milk in quantity and quality, far IN
excess of what any dairyman who has not
tried it, would imagine to be possible. Does
the dairyman need roots to feed his cows,
and can they be raised at a cost that will
make it profitable to feed them think
they can. Dairymen should turn their at
teutiOn more to the cultivation OF roots.
They will find them valuable to feed during
the late fall months, and in spring after cows
come in, and before our pastures furnish
good supply of grass. Roots are of more
value than the mere nutrlment they contain.
They assist the digestive process, and enable
the animals to obtain more nourishment from
the fodder consumed, than they otherwise
would and keep them in better healte, and
give them better appetites, causing them to
cat I'D coarse fodder cleaner. In deciding
which Of the various root crops is the hest
and most valuable to raise, we must consider
the quantity raised to the acre, the quality,
and the expense of raising the crop. Labor
is the great item of expense on the farm,
and especially is this the case, in cultivating
the root crop In raising roots we should al
WAYS plan to economic labor.
The carrot | consider valuable root for
feeding young stock, but as this root requires
more labor in its cultivation than any other,
1t cannot, at the present time, be raised at
profit The Swedish turnip, furnishes a
large amount Of food to the acre, when it
does well. 1t is very uncertain crop. The
little black turnip fly, that is on the lookout
for the first appearance of the turnip plant,
will destroy nine tenths of them while they
have but two leaves, if the farmer is not as
vigilant his little turnip enemy. If the
turnip escapes injury until August, and at
that time assumes vigorous appearance, 1t
is very liable to be attacked by the turnip
plant louise. With me, one year in three,
the turnip crop will prove a failure An
other great objection to the turnIp, is the
unpleasant turnip flavor they give to the
milk and butter Beets are not liable to the
attacks of that class of insects that infest
other root crop. At least the chances Of in
jury are so few and of so little Importance,
as not to interfere with it's cultivation. Of
the various varieties of beets and mangolds
to raise for stock feeding, | consider the
American Improved Imperial Sugar Beets,
and the Yellow Globe Mangolds the best.
Last year these sowed side by side, having
the same cultivation, produced as follows :
The beets at the rate OF forty-four tons, and
the mangolds forty-twO tons per acre. The
beet consider the best feed for dairy, and
the most profitable crop to raise.