Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1873-04-18

produce the best quality.
also kept my store hogs almost wholly
upon beets the entire winter, and am doing
the same the present winter. Their value,
as compared to hay, is also more favorable
than most farmers think, with fair aver
age crop of beets. In raising carrots or tur-
nips you can get from one acre Of land, feed
equal to at least six tons Of good hay, and
at high estimate for labor in raising beets
or turuips, say from s25 to s35 per acre,
without reckoning the value of manure, or
from $50 to $50 if you add the value of ma
nure, you will get better feed and at less
expense than in raising hay, besides leaving
your lsnds in better condition for future
crops, which is no small consideration.
In England the improvement of the land
is considered Of so much Importance that in
renting it, it is most always stipulated that
a certain quantity of roots shall be raised
yearly. But that condition would seem to
be useless there, where all from the largest
to the most humble farmer look upon that as
the main support. Statistics show that tho
raising Of roots (mostly turnips), has more
than doubled the value Of her agricultural
resources, and what is true Of England can
be approximated in Vermont. In Massachu.
sets more than ten thousand acres Of land
are annually devoted to the raising Of roots,
and at au immense profit to the farmers Of
the State. 1t requires no more skill to raise
a field Of bee!s, turnips or carrots, than it
does to raise one Of corn or potatoes, aud
for feeding purposes the roots are worth
nearly double, while the labor in raising
beets or turnips is but little more. There
are various kinds of beets grown for feeding
purposes. The red Mangold which is liable
to have long, hollow neck, and is oitcu
hard and almost worthless the red Globe
and the yellow Ovoid are both very smooth
and clean growing beets. The white Sugar
and also the American improved white Su-
gar and Norbiton's giant. have raised all
kinds of the above, but give the preference
to Norbiton's giant. 1t grows large smooth,
and is not disposed to hollow neck 1t
will do we'll on almost any soil, but the best
on rather heavy loamy one. If my soil
was inclined to be sandy, | should prefer the
red Globe Or yellow Ovoid.
Land should be ploughed deep and well
enriched with stable or barn-yard manure at
the rate Of five to eight cords an acre. Har-
row and make fine; then go over with a
brush harrow OF rake then SOW seed with u
seed sower at the rate Of four pounds per
acre Sow as early as the ground will admit.
The rows should be at least two feet apart,
and thin IN rows to one foot. If land is in.
cined to be wet, it should be ploughed in
ridges two and half feet apart and seed
sown on ridges; ground should be kept free
from weeds, and the beets gathered before
freezing. 1t will be Of but little use to at.
tempt to raise beets on green Sward, or on a
light sandy soil. The Swede turnip, which |
think one of the best, should be raised on a
light warm soil. 1t does well on green
sward should be sowE about the 10th OF
10Th of June let the land be made mellow
by thorough cultivation with harrow or cul.
tivator, well enriched with barn.yard and
stable manure, well composted with muck OF
| oil "a 1bn 10 - Etn
acre, well narrowed in. Let the surface be
made smooth by use Of brush, harrow OF
rake; SOW in drills two and one.half feet
apart with seed sower, at the rate of one
pound of seed per acre; thin in rows to fit.
teen inches apart. 1t is Of but little use to
attempt to raise good turnips on wet clay
soil, or with stable manure unless composted
On soil and with manure that would raise q
good crop of beets, you will have long
neck with heavy tops and small bulb or root
keep the ground free from weeds by use oi
cultivator or hoe
The carrot will do best on light, warm soil
Land should be plOughcd deep, well enriched
with stable and yard manure, well compost
ed with muck or soil, at the rate of five OIL
six cords per acre. Make surface fine and
smooth as for turnips, and sow about the
25th Of May, at Il rate Of one and one-hal
pounds seed per acre. Harvest before seconC
growth commences, as, if allowed to stay il
the ground after that much Of their value i
lost, This may be known by new fibrou
roots starting out and also by pew leaves
starting from top. Rows about fifteen inche
apart and thin to four inches in rows. For
field crop the white Belgian is most produc
tive.
The parsnip wants deep, rich soil sucl
: as would grow crop Of beets will do vel
for the parsnip. Sow as early in spring a
ground will admit; but l have had no expe
: rience in growing them for field crop.
From the agricultural reports we lear
that the hay crop in the state in 1865 wa
99l ,Sl4 tons, one and one-third tons pc
I acre upon an average, while in 1871 tn
, amount was only $4,000 tons, averagin
q only ninety.eight one.hundredths tons pc
acre, showing loss of l8O,Sl4 tons in 81
1 years, We also find by the same report
Q that in 1866 there were in the state ATT 60
head of cattle or its equivalent in sheel
=, reckoning eight sheep equal to one COW, an
I also 479OO horses. In 1877 there were OIL
ly S6l 900 head Of cattle, including shee
$ as before stated, and 1900 horses, shoy
} ing loss of 1862 head of cattle and OIL
e ly gain Of 23, 100 horses.
From my own observation should N,
I think much of this loss had occurred in IN