Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1877-08-29
Roots and Sheep.

It is not to be supposed that American
agriculture should blindly follow the meth
DDS of Europe. Much that is practiced by
transatlantic farmers may be initiated by us
with advantage but much is also subject
to modification, and not a little must be re-
jected altogether, as quite unsuited to our
condition.
For many years the growing of root crops
in large quantities for feeding purposes has
been pressed upon our people by writers for
the press. This urgency has not had the de-
sired effect, but it has done good. Ameri-
can farmers are not making roots their main
feeding and fattening crop, as in England,
but they are getting to see value and use
in them, more than formerly
The fact is, British farmers grow roots
so extensively because they cannot grow
our Indian corn. If they could grow that
unequalled grain as it is grown on this con
tinent, they might not abandon root culture,
but the breadth of land in roots would GER
tainly be wonderfully lessened. Even now,
since they have begun to import so much
maize, there are writers for the English agri-
cultural press who speak of such extensive
root feeding as Improbable.
With us roots will always be secondary
feeding crop, but as a change and a relish
for our stock during the winter they have a
great value, greater than most farmers think.
Particularly for sheep is it desirable to
have good store of roots. In New England
the wool crop must always be of minor i'm
portance, for we are rivalled in that branch
of husbandry by so many countries where land
is of so little value that wool can be grown
there at a tenth of what it costs us, if we
make it the main object in sheep.
For speculative purposes it will pay few
breeders in Vermont to continue the breed
of Merinos originated here. There is de-
mand for them for stock purposes that will
afford profit to few men who make that
business speciality. But for the mass OF
farmers in New England the mutton breeds
are the only ones that will pay. And to have
good, fine favored, well fatted mutton with
out roots, at the season when there is no pas
turage is impossible. 1t is also practically
impossible to keep the mutton sheep in
thrifty condition during our long winters
without a regular ration of roots
What kinds of roots should we raise For
the fattening purposes, both for cows and
sheep, according to English experience,
rutabaga or Swedish turnips stand first, and
the mangold beets next. OF the latter, prob
ably the variety known as Lanes sugar beet
is the best, and may equal, or even surpass,
the Swedes in feeding value. But the
Swedes are much more easily kept and
handled, are not so quickly injured by frost,
and do not rot so easy from bruising or
chilling.
We believe that many of our farmers who
have tried Merinos and found them unprofit-
able can make money by grading up their
flocks with Cotswold or Leicester bucks. A
neighbor Of ours has recently sold fifty grade
lambs of this class at four dollars and fifty
cents each, and claims that it pays better
than dairying. The new dog law is such as
to afford encouragement TO sheep farmers,
aud we hope to see more attention given to
this branch of husbandry. The profits OF
agriculture will for many years be very
small and, indeed, only those who under
stand their business aud are good managers
and close calculators can make any money
at all. We think there is as good chance
to make something out of well managed
flock of mutton sheep as in any other branch
But the man who goes into that or orchard.
ing, or dairying, or hop-growing, or cattle
breeding, must make up his mind to give
his heart to the business, study it in all its
bearings, persevere until excellence is ac-
quired, and look out for every chance for
Improvement in stock, and in opportunities
for selling to the best customers. The Eng.
fish eat more mutton than beef, and if our
markets were as well supplied with prime
article, we see no reason why it might not
be so here. There is no more wholesome
meat.