Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1874-05-27
Agricultural.
Root Culture.

otLtE NtHehtoh sFflnE lCfu anu EIbNs WHO
while in their green state, aa0rl the very be
feed for all herb-esting animals and stock. b.
after maturity the gnpes become worthless, Ii
seed and stalk become subject to decay, benc
something must needs be done to supply the rs
turAl demands Of stock.
Grain being a species Of grasses the nourish
ing substance that is contained in the gree
state goes to perfect the seed. In Vermont tn
winters are 50 long and severe We are com
PEELED TO furnish much for the support of GU
stock. This has generally been done by secur
ing our hay crop and by saving the straw o
grain which we have raised. Too many time.
these compose the winter feed for our stock
However good the grasses and grains may b
in their green state for our stock, the q~ualitie.
and conditions are changed in their dry state.
For the thrift and development Of animals it is
necessary to change their feed. 1t is a well
kn5wn fact, that if We feed one kind Of fodder
for any length Of time the animal will not thrive
but often viii die. This suggests a change of
feed, and indeed it is absolutely necessary for
the growth and thrift of the animal to change
its feed occasionally.
1t IS true that by feeding the different grains
through the winter with our hay and other coarse
fodder we can keep our stock in a good condi-
ton; but the Vermont farmer cannot always
afford to feed grain to produce meat, unless it
be in particular cases; neither is grain as uatu-
raj feei as roots. Especially are roots adapted
o. fba E-I;r- . $3.50. 2
mls.
In Europe, where agriculture is carried on az
4 science, and where land is worth from $500
to $500 an acre for farming purposes they not
~unfrequently raiS 50 or 100 acres ofroots, and
more or less according to the size of their farms
Ispeak more particularly of England). Since
J the introduction Of root culture land has doubled
and quadrupled in price, according to its capa-
city for producing roots. All the success and
prosperity Of the English farmer is founded on {
the production Of roots in connection with the |
rotation OfcrOps. 1t is really the starting point Q
in their system Of rotation. t
The farmer knows that if he succeeds in pro a
ducing a good root crop he is sure Of the re- g
mainder of his crops in rotation Climatic infu- 4
ence excepted.
While making ny late visit to England the D
best authority 1 could find admitted frankly 81
that their root crop was the dependence Of Eng u
land in producing her meat, as seven-tenths of
her meat was fattened on turnips. This | make III
mention efbecause the prevailing opinion among 81
farmers in America generally is that turnips
are worth nothing for httening purposes mas q
much as they contain a large per cent. of water. Sc
However large the percentage of water contained M
in the turnip, they are admitted by many to be N
the most healthy and cheap food for cattle that I'll
can be used by the agriculturist to produce
meat. In England they have the advantage tn
over US inasmueh as their climate will allow as
them to let their stock run out on the turnip- DC
patch all winter, without any shelter; and with
out much fear of the turnips freezing enough to pN
InJure them. The way in which they manage lie
Is to have movable fences and fence of a portion er.
according to the size of the flock or number of M
the herd of cattle they wish to keep in the en- ne
closure; and | would here say that were we Is
raising turnips on a large scale, and especially po'
after a summers drouth. We might begin to feed cal
them after the first Of October nc ,bov wo,l1 an,
have grown to considerable size by that time of pla
year when We mast need our fodder corn. ma
In recommending the cultivation of roots roc
expect to meet with some opposition by some the
'ne claiming or stating the obstacles which an iii
pear so prominent in the first view Of the case. "A
'hich will admit are very serious but no more the
% than We already meet with in raising a crop see
# potatoes. to
1t cannot be denied that the climate of YER wit
mont is so severe in the winter that il becomes up
iecessary to store or house the crop for the vim nee
er use; but if we don't raise more than one or see.
thousand bushels We can dispose of these a g
much extra trouble or store room far exp
Of us have cellar room for that amount I
Ell II is not necessary to be at the trouble and the
Expense of putting all of them into a cellar. The it r
to be used from the first Of November he
.hieh is the time when winter usually sets in. at t
ntil the first Of January, may be kept on the A
floor, and covered with straw. or slowed gel
way in any other place around the building par
cure from frost. And there are on many pro
rms sheltered locations such as the south side 'con-
a bill, or under the shelter of some woods vac;
here a root cellar might be made very cheaply. F
cure from frost, and answer every purpose. % i
D those who have built barns with cellars be. top
'ath. storage room viii very readily suggest but
self. co.
hhen l speak Of root crops | mean more par then
,uiaIly potatoes, turnips-both tie ruta baeas n
ID the common English fat turnip ,-mange foun
'rzels, beets and carrots. sc,o
| don't assume the position Of an instructor viii
raising the diferent kinds of roofs; but giH they
nture to tell yeu about my way of raising imps
and my success, and | seem to have n most,
uop'1' AiteF try place
; my plan, if you can convince me that YOU r..
. succeed better to follow your own, | shall L.
oily adopt yours and feel myself your debtor. - :.
all my acquaintance that have ever made A -
800. ny u re" u may seriol
none) who are willing TO exchange and re- i -
n to their former system. -,
since my own recollection, in England the -,
- ' " 'en acres Of is one
is now raise double and treble that amount. r..
confident are they Of their great value for p,,o,
*. In showing my manner Of raising them go,
irnot expect to say anything that will be Of al i
rest about raising potatoes, since most else.
ners have had more experience with them In
. myself, yet viii venture TO recall nv ex- there