Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-03-05

KIM TO iced our STOCK, tnere is IN my nina
not shadow of doubt 1t is rare case
you can find the farmer that ever succe
fully raised them for stock-feeding. that has
abandoned the prac ice Could we raise po
tatoes as cheapIy and easily, and were they
not wor in the market over twenty cents
per hushel, we should all raise them to a
large extent for feeding purposes. And yet
beets fed to COWS will increase the flow of
milk nearly five per cent more than potatoes,
or at least this has been my experience upon
a fair test.
One year ago the present winter | tried
tue following experiment to test the value
of beets as compared with potatoes. | led
10 fDdr COWS each one peck of beets daily,
accurately weighing the milk, and to four
more led to each one peck of potatoes daily,
also weighing their milk. | continued this
TWO weeks. The increase of milk from those
fed with beets was thirteen per cent, while
those fed with potatoes increased theirs only
Ell nt per cent. then, to make a sure tes5
Of tie trial, reversed the order of feeding for
two weeks, giving potatoes TO those that
had been fed with bets, and beets to those
that had been fed with potatoes, weigh
mo their milk as before While those Ted
with beets the first two weeks nearly held
their own when fed with potatoes, shrinking
only about two per cent. in their milk
those fed with potatoes the first two weeks
increased their milk nearly six per cent.
when fed with beets This showed cOnclu-
sively to my mind that as a feed for dairy
cows, beets are Of more value for milk than
potatoes. As to the richness of the milk
mad no test, but | think from the nature OF
the beet they would produce the best quality.
also kept my store hogs almost wholly
upOn beeIs the entire winter, and L am dong
the same the present winter. Their value,
as compared to hay in raising, is also more
favorable than most farmers think, with "a
tair average crop Of beets. Carrots or tur-
nips Won can ret from one acre of land, iced
equal to at least six tons of good hay, and
az a high estimate for labor in raising beets
or turnlps, say from S25 to S35 per acre,
without reckoning the value Ot manure, or
from $50 to $50 II you add the value OF ma
nure, you viii get better iced, and at less
expense than IN raising hay, besides leaving
vour lands in better condition tor future
or ,ps, which Is no small consideration.
La England the Improvement OF the land
is considered of SO much Importance thtt IN
renting it, it is most always stipulated that
certain quanty Of roots shall be raised
be useless there, where all from the largest
to the most humble farmer look upon that as
the main support Statistics show that the
raising Of roots (mostly turnipsl, has more
than doubled the value OF Der agricultural
re.ourres. and what is true of Eugland can
he approxrmlted IN We mont. 10 Massacnu-
sits more than ten thousand acres OF land
IRE annually d,vote to the raising OF roots,
fir "A the farmers OF
that State Ii requires no more skill TO raise
Il field of beets, turnlps or carrots, thsn II
does to raise one of corn or potatoes, and
Tor feeling purposes the roots are worth
nearly double. while the labor in raising
bees or turnips is but little more. There
are various kinds Of bee grown for feeding
purposes. Tire red Mangolds which is liable
to have a long, hollow eek, and is often
hard and almost worthless the red Globe
and the yellow Ovold are both very smooth
and Gle an growing beet The white Sugar and
AMI also the American improved white Su-
gar aud Norbitop's giant. | have raised ali
kinds of the above. but give the preference
to Norbiton'5 giant. 1t grows large, smooth
and is not disposed to a hollow neck. 1t
will DO well on almost any soil, but the best
On rather heavy loamy one, Ii my soil
] WAS iIClilItQ " DG 5dIldy3 o'lOOAo EANANA VIZ
red Globe OF yellow Ovold.
Land should be ploughed deep and vel
eDr,c led with stable or barn-yard manure at
the rate Of five to eight cords per acre. Har-
row and make fine then 90 over with d
! brush harrow OF rake then SOW seed witt
a seed sower at the rate Of four pounds Ell
acre. Sow as early as the ground will admit
/ Tbe rows should De at least two feet apart
! > RI If Ian
clined to BE- wet. it should be ploughed II
ridges two and -one half feet apart, and seeC
,own on ridges; ground should be kept FREE
| from weeds, and the beets gathered before
| freezing Ii will be of but little use to at
tempt to raise beets on green sward, or on I
light sandy soil. The Swede turnIp, which
| think one of the be should be raised OF
A light warm soil. 1t dJes we'll on green
swarI ; should be sOwn about the lOGh %
! ljtb of June: let toe land be made mellow
bv thorough cultivation with a harrow o
eultivator, well enriched with barn-yard AM
stable manure, well composted with muck U
soil. at the rate OF tour or five cords pc
acre. well harr ,wvd IN. Let the surface b
made smooth by use of brush barrow 0
rake: SOW in drills two and one-halt ee
apart with seed soWer, at the rate OF on
pounl OF seed per acre thin IN rows to fl
teen inches apart Ii is OF but little use t
attempt to raise good turnips on wet ella
soil, or with stable manure unless composted
On soil and with manure that would raise
GOOD crop of beets, you will have a ion
neck with heavy tops and small bulb OF root
keep the ground free from weeds by use {
cultivttOr or hoe.
The carrot will do best on light, warm soil
I - .b,.,I4 h, ,,b cd daaD well onri,s he
with stable add yard manu- e, we'll compost
Ell with muck or soil, at the rate Of five c
SIX cords per acre Make surface fine an
smooth az Tor turnips, and sow about th
25ti OF Nav, at a rate OF one and One-ha
pounds seed per acre. Harvest before secon
growth commences, as, if allowed to stay /
the ground after that much OF their value
lost. This may be known by new fbrou
roots starting out and also by new leav,
starting from top. Rows about fifteen inch,
apart and thin to four inches in rows. For
field crop the white Belgian is most prodn'
tive.
The parsnp wants deep, rich soil sue
as would grow crop OF beets will do we
lor the parsnip. Sow as early in spring q
= ground will admit but have had no exp
Renee in growing them Tor field crop.
= From the agricultural reports We leal
hat the bay crop IN the State In 1860 W;
99l ,Sl4 TONS, one and one third ton per acl
upon an average, while in 1871 the amour
was only Sol $50 tons, averaging only min
Weight one hundredth tons per acre, SHOW
M d loss of 1870, 8l4 tons in six years. "
tiso fad by the same reports that IN lot
t ere were in the STA All 622 head OF CD
Tie or It's equivalent IN sheep, reckoning eIg
sheep equal to one cow, and also Al ct
horses. la 1871 there were only 36l,OC
head OF cattle, including sheep "a beto
s ated. and II 900 horses, showing a loss
ll6 622 head OF cattle and only gain
%. 100 horses.
From my own observation l should n
J. think much Of this loss had occurred in tn
county, but the farmers Of the State Dug
not thus to lose SO much of its productl
: industry or wealth, 10 help make up til
T deficiency let the farmers raise roots f