The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1875-10-06
THE PRESS.
THE FARM AND HOUSEHOLD.
Roofs for Stock Feeding.

From the first of my farming have raised
roots of some kind to feed stock during win
ter. Twenty-Five years ago, when labor was
much cheaper than now, | raised carrots.
These consider very valuable to feed young,
growing stock; but the cost of raising them
at the present price of labor is generally more
than their feeding value. It costs from two
to three times as much to raise ton of car
rots as the same amount of the large-growing
varieties OF sugar beetS or mangel-wurtZels.
To raise roots and have them cost less than
their feeding value, the labor should be done
with the horse cultivator and hoe, avoiding
thumb and-finger work. The profit or loss
on a crop Of roots generally depends upon
how the labor is performed, whether princi
pally by hand or by the aid of machinery.
The question, is it profitable to raise roots to
feed during the season that the stock is kept
on dry fodder, is often asked by those who
have but little experience in their culture, or
are about to begin raising them. This can
be answered two ways, and answered correct
ly. There are great many farmers who,
every year, raise root crops for feeding pur
poses, from which they realize large profit.
Then, on the other side, many attempt to
raise these crops, and from various reasons,
generally through their own neglect, they get
small and poor crops, which cost them more
than the crop is worth. The cultivation of
tainly not sufficiently appreciated by most
farmers. l have experimental with the va
rious kinds of carrots, turnips, beets, and
wurtzes. and for few years past have raised
as the main crop, and with perfect satisfac-
tion, the American Improved Imperial sugar
beet.
The soil most proper for field beets is a rich
loan OF clayey rather than sandy. character.
Light sandy land is better for turnips. / sow
the first suitable weather after the soil is in
fine condition to be worked. l think early
sowing is essential in order to obtain the best
results. Sow in drills 80 inches apart, with a
machine. if you have one, if not, plant or
dibble in the seed in rows 80 inches by IS. 1t
takes four pounds of seed if sowed, and about
one-half as much if planned. When the beets
have been sowed in drills they should be
punched out with the hoe soon after the Sec
ond pair of leaves appear, and if there is no
danger from worms destroying the plants, as
they are not wanted for transplanting, thin
the lunches to one plant at this time. All
the remaining labor can be done with the
cultivator and hoe, and should be repeated
sufficiently often 10 keep the soil loose and
free from weeds.
From my farm book, copy the following
items as the cost of cutivating one acre OF
beets:-Ploughing the land, So; drawing ma
nure, 81; spreading manure and narrowing,
tivating once, punching and thinning plants,
$3.50; cultivating five times, S.; hoeing twice
So; total, $33, as the cost of cultvating one
acre which yielded 1,050 bushels. The cost
In labor was trife over three cents per bush
ell. Add to this the use of land, manure, and
seed, and the whole cost is between five and
six cents per bushel, and worth to any far
mer from Is to rs cents per bushel, depend
ing on the location, the kind of stock fed to,
and manner of feeding. Every observing
feeder knows that any succulent food in the
shape of roots fed to stock in winter in con-
nection with this dry food, increases the
appetite and promotes health, and thereby
improves their condition. The various pro-
fitable uses to which all kinds of roots can be
applied, should induce farmers TO grow them
more extensively than they do at present. -
Henry Lane, Cornwall, IT.. in the Neao
Tribune.