Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1876-05-19
Roofs for Stock Feeding.

A Mr.. Lane, of Cornwall, VT,
writes as follows to the New York
Tribune on the above important
subject, one which is very much
neglected throughout this country:
From the first of my farming I
have raised roots of some kind to
feed stock during winter. Twenty
five years ago, when labor was much
cheaper thau now, l raised carrots
These 1 consider 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. 1t cost from two to
three times rs much to raise ton Of
carrots as the same amount of the
large growing varieties of sugar
bcets or mangel wurzels. 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-fnger
work. The profit or loss upon
crop of roots generally depends upon
how the labor is performed whether
principally by hand or by the aid of
machinery. The question, els it
profitable to raise roots to feed dur
ing the season that the stock is kept
on dry fodder?" is often asked by
those who have had but little expert
cnce i'll their culture, or are about to
begin raising them. This can be
answered two ways, and answered
correctly. There are great many
farmers who, every year, raise root
crops for feeding purposes, from
which they realize a large profit.
Then, on the other side, many at
tempt to raise these crops, and from
various reasons, generally through
their own neglect, they get small and
poor crops, which costs them more
than the crop is worth. The cult
walton of field sugar beets for
feeding purposes is certainly not
sufficiently appreciated by most far
mers. l have experimental with the
various kinds Of carrots, turnips,
beets, and wurzels, and for few
years past have raised as the main
crop, and with perfect satisfaction,
the American Improved Imperial
Sugar Beet.
The soil most proper for field
beets is rich loan of a clayey rath-
or than a 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 thirty inches
apart with machine if you have
one; if not, liant or dribble in the
seed in rows thirty inches by eigh-
teen. 1t takes four pounds Of seed,
if sown, and about one half as much
if planted. When the beets have
been sown in drills, they should be
punched out with the hoe soon after
the second pair of leaves appear; and
if there is no danger from worms de-
stroying the plants, and they are not
wanted for transplanting, thin the
punches to one plant at this time
All the remaining labor can be done
with the cultivator and hoe, and
should be repeated sufficiently often
to keep the soil loose and free from
weeds; From my farm book | copy
the following items as tho cost of
cultivating one acre Of beets: Plow-
ing the land, SO; drawing manure,
S.; spreading manure and harrow
ing, SO; ridging land and sowing
seed, s4.s0I cultivating once, bunch
ing and thinning plants, $3.50; cult
vatng five times, So; hoeing twice,
SO; total, s33, as the cost of cultiva-
ting one acre which yielded 1850
bushels. The cost in labor was
trifle over three cents per bushel.-
Add to this the use of the land, ma
nure, and seed. and the whole cost is
between FIVE and S \ cents per bush
ell, and worth to any farmer from
fifteen to twenty-five cents per bushcl,
depending on the location, aud the
KIND OF stock fed to. and manner of
feeding. Every observing feeder
knows that any succulent food in the
shape Of root fed to stock IN the
winter in connection with dry food
increases the appetite and promotes
health, and thereby improves their
condition. The various profitable
uses to which all kinda at roots can
DO applied should induce farmers to
grow them more extensively than
they do at present.
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