The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1874-10-08
Value of Roots for Cattle Food.

The chemists of this country and those
of Europe have often analyzed almost
every kind of cattle food for the purpose
of ascertaining the nutritive value each
one contained. Taking good meadow hay
as the standard by which all other kinds
OF cattle food is compared, | see that
some of the chemists lind one pound of
hay equal to about six and three-fourths
of beets, and that others find three and
one-halt pounds of beets equal to one OF
hay. Now who shall decide when doc
tors disagree?" Without making a deci-
sion, let us add the two extremes together.
which will amount to ten and a quarter
This divided by two. the number of doc
tors, give US five and one-eighth pounds
OF beets as nutritive equivalent tor one
pound OF nay Taking this estimate as Il
correct one, if hay is worth S2O per ton.
beets are worth eleven cents and seven
mills per bushel. But the value here given
IS the nutritive value alone, without esti-
mating the advantages derived from their
use in other respects From experiments
made IN feeding beets, their practical
value has been made to range from Is to
"a cents per bushel, with hay at $50 per
ton An exact estimate OF the practical
value OF beetS tor cattle food is difficult
matter as it is now and ever viii be. hid
from mortal ken. The improved condition
of the cow (when fed to COWS during the
wintcr), her increased usefulness during
the entire season, her lessened liability to
sickness and disease which high feeding
with any one OF the different kinds Of
grain induces, her heightened lease of
life, her evident satisfaction and perfect
contentment, which is So plainly mani
tested while eating her daily ration of
roots. are each and every one legitimate
items to be taken into the account IN esti-
mating the practical. the actual value of
beets as food for dairy stock
After carefully looking at the subject in
all its bearings so far as my limited ex-
perience has given me opportunity to do
so, have come to the conclusion that
beets for cattle food are well worth tull as
many cents per bushel AS good hay is
worth dollars per ton, without taking into
consideration the increased value of the
manure. and that the average cost, when
stored in the cellar or put into pits, with
every item Of expense included, need not
exceed eight cents per bushel
Now, as the price of hay in Central
New York will probably average over 81
per ton during the next decade, ! do not
discover any risk in growing beets for our
dairy stock
My advice to all dairymen who are not
convinced in regard to their cost and their
value as cattle food, would be to try a
small piece each year until ''they become
fully persuaded in their own minds, not
only OF the cost OF beets, but also of their
value as food for dairy stock
l will conclude this paper already too
long, by saying that since its first appear
ance in print | have had two years addi-
tional experience in growing and feeding
roots. Two years ago, my success with
Lanes Improved Imperial Sugar Beet had
been all that | could have desired. But
during the month OF July, for the past two
seasons, this beet has been struck with
rust. By liberal dressing of salt the in
jury to the crop from rust will be greatly
lessened, yet nearly one months growth
was lost each season with this beet, when
the other kinds grown in the same field,
planted at the same time and treated in
all respects alike, were not affected in the
least by the rust or blight
| would also add, that the more | feed
beets to dairy stock, the greater value ]
place upon them as a good, nutritious
health promoting cattle food