Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1873-01-31

it, We know that many Of our best farm
ers, especially sheep men, raise roots for
food. In England, Germany and France,
where agriculture is carried on most success.
fully, roots are extensively raised There is
no question as to tAeir value as food for
stock of all kinds. Their greatest value,
however, is in regulating the system, keep
ing it healthy, and assisting digestion con-
sequently the animal will thrive better with
the same amount Of other food Grass
seems to be the natural food for stock, and
the nearer we can keep to that, the better.
Roots aid materially in this; they not only
serve to regulate the system, but answer as
substitute for grain. Particularly are
they valuable for sheep. Give them good
supply Of roots, and they will be more
healthy and Aeshy, raise more lambs, and
shear more wool, with or without grain. !
have no data by which to determine their
actual value as food, or their beneficial eff
fects on the system. judge Of their value
from experience and observation, having
raised and fed them for more than25 years.
10 the cultivation of roots have my own
method, which may not differ materially
from others. For carrots, plow the ground
deep-say one foot harrow, if necessary, to
break up Jumps and render it mellow. APP
ply the manure, then plow again, just deep
enough TO cover the manure WE'LL and har-
row thoroughly with light harrow to mix
tho manure evenly with the soil and smooth
the surface. Sometimes light brush may
be used, and in case of Jumps, stones, or
straw, rake the ground. | use sheep-ma-
nure, either alone or mixed with about one
fourth dry muck. Pile it up and let it heat
well, but not SO as to burn white in this
way you kill nearly all the weeds in the ma
nure, and render it fine so that the young
roots will easily find it. 1t is we'll to fork
it over before applying it to the ground.
From 30 to 40 loads, of 80 bushels each, will
be sufficient for an acre. Old well rotted
manure is best, naxt to sheep manure.
Soak the seed IN warm water from IL to
"a hours before sowing then roll dry in
saked lime or plaster. In sowing, use a
seed-sower, or a good substitute may be
made by taking a box 20 inches long by
inches square, with handle on the top, and
the bottom made of tin with holes inches
apart and an extra slide bottom to regulate
the size of the holes In the use of this
machine. of course the rows must be first
marked. Cover from one to oneland half
inches, and if the ground be light loan
press it down by walking on the rows. Care
should be taken in sowing, as the carrot is
tender plant and the greatest difficulty is to
get them to come up. As you cannot trans
plant them, it is best to SOW plenty Of seed,
say four pounds to the acre. Sow about the
last Of May. As soon as the plants are up
enough to see the rows, 60 through with a
hand cultivator or hoe, and continue it af-
terwards enough to keep down the weeds
Don't be afraid of too much cultivation
When they are from four to six inches high,
weed aud thin out the rows, leaving the car.
rots about four inches apart, the rows being
two feet apart.
In harvesting, use a spade to loosen then
pull and lay-four rows in one-evenly.
Cut the tops with heavy knife. If the
ground is conveniently situated, pillow may
be used instead of spade, though the
tops, which are valuable food for mich
COWS, can not be as well saved. My aver
age crop has been from 800 to 1000 bushels
to the acre. Carrots are best for mlch cows,
horses and colts. Nothing is better for colts
than carrots. They may be used as sub
stituts for grain for horse not at hard
work, and any horse is better for meal OF
them as often as once week. Shotes do
well on them, either raw or cooked.
For turnips, prepare the ground and ma
nure as for carrots. Sow with a seed-sower
and cover lightly. Sow at the same time as
carrots. Phosphate is great help to tur.
nips. Applied at the time of sowing, ii
hurries them on, but applied later, it does
well. When used at sowing, the ground
must be first drilled, and the phosphate mix.
ed with the soil. The rows should be two
feet apart, and the plants eighteen inches
Hoe we'll and often. Thin when from three
to six inches high. Vacant places may be
filed by transplanhng. After they have
reached such size that the tops cover the
ground we'll, it is better to keep out of them
for hoeng at that time will necessarily break
off many of the thrifty leaves, and injure
the growth of the plant. A good method o
harvesting is to 60 over them with SHARP
hoe aud cut off the tops; then with fork
remove the tops from the ground, and with
hoe pull up the turDips, at the same time
cutting off the tap roots, Let them dry
then clean and store them. Yield, about
800 bushels per acre.
Feed to any stock except milch cows
Give literally to sheep before and aftel
dropping lambs also to calves if you wisl
to raise good ones, They are a great ad
vantage to working oxen, especially in tn,
spring
In the growing of beets have had bu
two years experience raised the Amcri
can Improved Sugar Beet, Prepared tn,
ground as for carrots and sowed as early a
possible, in rows two feet apart Thin t,
one foot in the row. Give them thorough
cultivation, aud harvest before any hare
frost. On the same soil, with like treat
/ Al - Il 4.