The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-05-14
Root Crops.

Farm, Field and Fireside.
The farmer who does not grow beets, carrots,
parsnps, potatoes and turnips for stock is guilty
of denying himself the advantages possessed by
these crops for feeding, as well as the increased
production as compared with cereals and hay. 1t
is claimed that $50 pounds of mangels are equal
to 100 pounds of hay, which enables us to esti-
mate a crop of mangels as equivalent to over
| seven tons of hay per acre. 1t is plain, there
fare that if we can substitute a root crop for %
grass crop, and therefore derive nearly four
times as much feeding material, it is equivalent
to the production one acre of that which for
merly required nearly four acres. As to the
cost of production, it is less in proportion to the
yield in favor of the mangels, to say nothing of
their value in a dietary manner when fed to
stock in winter.
A greater crop can be grown from turnips than
/ from any other, and crop Is surer more
easily grown, especially as the main crop usually
goes in late, and at a period when other work is
about finished, and the expense OF seed is quite
small item, considering the enormous yield of
roots But no farmer should content himself
with root crop of single variety only One Of
the best crops that may be grown is the carrot,
and it is equaled by the parsnip. Stock delight
in variety Of food, and when the dry material
is assisted by roots, both raw and cooked, and Of
variety. there will be a gain in growth by rea-
son of the food being composed of different
kinds as the system is kept in better condition
and the animals thereby enabled to endure cold
and increase of carcass. Potatoes are more
readily salable than many root crops and for
this reason are not used for feeding extensively,
but the crop is profitable one at any time,
whether marketed or fed. In some of the beet
sugar districts the sugar beet is cultivated for
sugar and the refuse fed to all kinds of stock,
and carrots are considered the most suitable food
that can be given to mich cows
The objection to carrots, parsnips and beets is
the great length of time required for the gerni-
nation of the seeds, but if such crops are gotten
in early, when the earth is moist many of these
difficulties may be avoided. Most farmers do
not put in the seed until the season is somewhat
late, but such is mistake in practice, as the
best crops are produced when the whole season
| is allowed for growth and maturity. The grass
and weeds are great enemies to the very young
plants, sometimes demanding arduous hand
labor, but if the ground for root crops be plowed
| Deep and then well worked to a very fine condi
ton which hastens the termination of the seed,
the grass and weeds may be more easily subdued
| All root crops are fed by cooking them and
adding small amount of meal or bran, or by
| slicing them into thin pieces. Unless they are
! sliced they sometimes choke the animals, but as
there are many cheap contrivances for preparing
Them but little work is necessary in order to pro
| vide a meal of roots once a day. The great
| yields from root crops should be a tempting in
! ducement for farmers to grow them, and, al
| though the labor of cultivation may seemingly
| be great, their value as necessary adjuncts to
the usual dry provender should tempt all to
| grow them, at least to a certain extent.