Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1880-09-09

oination of dry with green food is highly
desirable. Animals. like men. require
changes in diet For this. if for ne other
reason, roots have a decided advantage,
within reasonable limit, over corn, for ex-
ample. Employing women and children for
wedding in Europe considerably dimnishes
the price of labor there; but even when this
be considered. the cost Of the total crop, re-
duced TO the bushel unit, has not any great
affect upon its market value, when it is re-
mcrnbered that l 900 bushels of mangels or
turnips to the acre is common. When this
very turnip cultivation was introduced into
England, il completely upset all previous
existing principles OF husbandry. 1t sup
pressed the talIow land absurdity, and a
general agricultural reform was the result
Ihe argument upheld against general root
culture in the United States is that il will
diminish the area devoted to corn crops;
but as we have enough land for both, why
neglect one tor the other? These hypothesis
are the same as We're advanced some years
Since, when tile potato was introduced; but
Instead OF resulting in a decrease in the corn
area. there has been Il speedy increase, the
number ot acres planted in corn to-day be-
irg vastly greater than before the arrival OF
the much-dreaded intruder. The total aver
age yield per acre would alone have been
greater, it certain principals Of crop rotation
had not been overlooked.
Evidently it would be foolish to grow
roots upon a poor soil, or on one that has
not been property worked. III root-growing,
subsoi blowing is the first necessity, and
improved method, when required, Of drain
age, cannot be neglected, the easy penetra-
ton Of the roots demanding it. Drainage
is OF vastly more importance in root culture
than for grain as, if egIected, hoIIowness,
rot, etc., ensue. Grain culture has not this
to contend with to the same extent, as their
small surface roots do not reach the Under
lying wet gum sub>oil.
OF the important roots we may mention
sugar bcets, mangel-wurZels, turhips. car
rots, and potatoes. Each OF these have
advantages and demerits, the sugar beet be-
ing far superior to all the rest, giving the
greatest eieId per acre, aud the root contain
ing The largest amount of nonrishing ele-
ments. 1t is profitable crop for three pur-
poses-.sugar manufacture, alcohol making,
aild cattle feeding, and entering into the
last either direct or in the shape of pulp.
Farmers argue that the root yielding the
greatest crop is the maagel-Wurzel; but
what is gained in yield is lost in tattenng
results. The turnp is the root most grown
in England, aud has held its own since 1880.
From the time OF its introduction into this
country by our English ancestry. it has
made but little progress. The objection to
il for feeding cows is. that it gives decid-
ed, and in many cases unpleasant taste to
! the milk. Ii carrot-grnwing thesa ohjec-
tons do not hold good. But the turnip is
more easily kept during the winter, and re-
qul1es less wedding: and, all told, OF the
two, is decidedly The best. 4. .
| In conclusion, we would say that we con.
slider root culture possesses the iollowin ad-
vantages:
| 1st, In the rotation of crops it presents 4
greater number OF combinations, and thus
| comes nearer to the anXiom "Relurn to the
soil what you take away
| I'd, 1t necessitates subsoil plowin, and
improved methods o! cultivation too often
neglected.
| 3D., 1t furnishes live stock throughout the
entire year the green food so essential tt
| their good health.
4th, The pulling of the roots during the
harvesting period loosens the soil, and rep
sents saving ii following nS.--Agri
cultural World
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SMUT IN WHEAT.