The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1881-05-13

The regular monthly meeting of the Deer Creek
Farmers Club was held at the residence of
Messrs. :. b. and Geo. II. Silver on Saturday,
May 7th. Messrs. Janney. Moores and Jas. Lee
were appointed Il committee to examine and re-
port uptn the condition of the stock and prem
iSes
Mr.. Janney, on the behalf of the committee re-
ported that the Messrs Silyer's stall-fed cattle
were in good condition, and that their stock cat
tie wintered on half feed were in excellent CON
dition to go on grass. They have 1870 sheep and
the same number of lambs-all thriving. Some
of the lambs are ready for market. Last year the
Messrs Silver turned their attention TO canning,
in Il small way, and with success. This year they
are engaging more extensively in the business
They have 10 acres in corn on their own farm, be-
sides 50 acres In the neighborhood. They will
can corn, tomatoes and peas. They have proved
that canning can be successfully carried on in
deal of credit for their energy and enterprise In
fact throughout the farm there was much to
commend and little to find fault with.
ROOTS AS WINTER FOOD FOR STOCK.
The discussion of the above question was begun
by MIR. 5. .. Silver, who said he did not believe
much in the value of roots as feed for stock. If,
however, he planted them for that purpose he
would begin with the red top fiat turnp and few
white top Dutch. Would plant with a drill, be
cast. The ground should be well manfred and
plowed three or four times before sowing. Drill
In the seed from the middle of July to the LIST of
August. Harvest them before freezing weather
sets in. He had fed them whole to sheep and
thought they did the sheep some good Beets are
good for milk cows, but do not pay for the trou-
BILE required to raise them. He thought that if
roots were good feed they would be used more
extensively. Roots should he kept in good root
house.
VIM. Webster had raised tulnips and fed them
to sheep. They are good for sick cows, but bran
is cheaper and just as good. He is not an advo-
cate OF root raising, but might be If he kept a
dairy. Sows Iurnips broadcast, but il would be
better TO sow them with drill, He prepares the
ground well and after sowing the seed, ii 1t looks
like rain does not rake them in. Otherwise rakes
in the seed lightly. They are no doubt excellent
for cattle. Had failed IN raising ruta bagas.-
From 600 to 800 bushels of hrnips can be raised to
the acre. Last year he fed some turnips to a sick
cow and they acted likea charm. The advantage
of roots Is that they act similar to grass and keep
stock healthy. If sheep are fed on turnps the
whole season they will come out without the loss
of wool and in good condition.
John Moores thinks highly of roots, the culti-
walton of which is too much neglected. To grow
ruta bagas pillow early in the season and work the
ground good many times, until seeding Plant
the seed about the 10Th Of June, and they will
start before the grass. The only trouble after
wards is thinning More white turnips than ruta
bagas can be raised. After taking up potatoes,
work the ground thoroughly. sow the turnip seed
broadcast and run horse rake over the ground.
Turnips for table use should be buried They are
good feed and good medicine for cattle. He
uses some In the fall and again In the spring,
when the weather begins to get warm. One
thousand bushels of rnta bagas can be raised to
an acre and they are better than turnips for
feeding. Mr.. Moores always uses little meal
with turnips., Roots should be buried the last
week in October.
VIM. +. Hays had grown sugar bcets. mangel
beets. He believes burying them in the earth is
better than keeping, them in a root cellar
Planted ruta bagas the 10th of June and sugar
beets as soon as he had corn in. The entire labor
and expense was not more than 80 per acre.
Bennett H. Barnes fed some white turnips last
winter to sheep, and could not see that they i'm
proved thereby. Had fed potatoes to horses
They act similar to bran, and produce smooth
james Lee two years ago planted mangel wurt-
zels and sugar beets. The former all froze, but
the sugar beets did much better. He does not
n mi M a faffpninU Of
Their only paying value is In keeping stock in a
healthy condition. For this purpose flax seed
VIM Munnikhuysen regarded white turnips as
totally worthless for feed. They may give cattle
better appetite, but he would rather have 81
worth of flax seed meal than 100 bushels of tur-
nips. Had raised few carrots and thought there
was some little strength In them. 1t was his
opinion that the corn raised on an acre of good
ground is worth more than all the roots you can
raise. All the benefit derived from roots can be
supplied with fax seed or cotton seed meal
There is no danger of cows abortng from being
fed flax seed meal
Johns II. .Ianney had raised sugar beets and
rlta bagas, the last two years, and thought high
ly of the sugar beet as feed, particularly for
young stock. Had fed some calves and yearlings
on them, giving the calves a little corn meal In
addition and they came out in fine condition In
the spring Each sugar beet seed produces about
four plants which makes some difficulty In thin
ming hut after this is done there is more diff
bushels of sugar beets He also raised large
crop of rnta haRas, but had no doubt the sugar
beet ia the best for cattle. II would pay To turn
our attention 10 raising them. From 1000 TO
l,aU bushels can be raised to the acre. Except
thinning 1t costs no more than raising an acre of
corn They should be sowed about the nth or
18th of May, and may be harvested in time to
seed the ground in wheat. In taking them out,
pillow was run close to the row, which loosened
them, so that q man following with grabbing
hoe can take Thorn out easily and another one
pick them up. Mr.. Janney cut the beets with
root cutter. He saw no Increase In milk when
feeding them To cows but never had calves do
better than on beets.
james II. Ball attributes very little value to
roots for feeding stock. Turnips fed to cows will
produce great quantity of milk but the quality
will be poor A cow will die If MIXED and fed on
turnips alone. Another objection is that large
crop of turnips will impoverish the land so that
nothing Will grow on 1t for one or two years. III