The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1901-12-10
The Season ror Turnfps.

The Season For Turnips.
The root crops are greatly over
looked in this country, but in Europe
no farmer would expect success with
out the aid Of turnips. bcets. carrots.
parsnips or potatoes, for it is well
known that under very favorable con-
ditiOns 1000 bushels may be grown
upon an acre. though the average is
much less. In England much OF the
literature devoted to agriculture Is OF
stock raising and root or dubious
crops. When 1t is considered that the
English farmer pays an annual sum
for rent equal TO the cost Of farm
In the United States, and that he
makes sheep and turnips pay all the
expense, it should encourage our farm
ers to give more attention to the NUT
ton breeds Of sheep and TO the advant-
ages OF the root crops as food for
stock. a leading English scientist.
Mr.. J. $. Remington. calls the atten-
ticn Of farmers 10 the advantages OF
selecting the best varieties, and the
Importance not only OF saving seed
from the best plants, but also OF max
ing comparative tests in order to deter
mine the most suitable varieties for
each particular farm, the quality and
also the yields. BY so doing the vark-
cites can be greatly improved In
fact, by selection, the farmer can
double his yields. and also secure va
rieties specially adapted TO his farm.
There are farmers living who can
remember when the tomato was small
and watery, and they have noticed
wonderful changes in corn, wheat.
oats ana other plants that have been
made by selection. The root crops
have also been improved, for every
year new and better varieties are of
fered, but more work is before those
farmers who are willing to further i'm
prove in that direction
The improvement OF farm root crops
-mangels, turnips, etc.-should be
done with regard to diminishing the
amount OF water contained and in
creasing the proportion of sugar,
starch and protein The experiments
made by the Messrs. Carter OF Eng
land, show that all roots have tend
cncy 10 contain an excess OF water.
which in Itself Is valueless, and some
varieties are claimed TO contain water
TO harmful degree. In the root crops
small deviation in the percentage OF
water materially affects the feeding
value, as IA ton OF one kind may con
tain twice as much solid matter as
ton OF another variety. 1t is an adj
vantage, as we'll as a necessity. there
fore. that the farmer ascertain the
weight OF the solids N n crop. This
he can do by sending samples TO the
State experiment station. The specific
gravity OF "a root is a guide to its
| keeping quality, and the specific crawl
~ OF the juice is guide to its feeding
quality. Hence, when the density is
highest in ooth the juice and the
/ whole root the value Of the crop for
feeding is the greatest. The farmer
can easily ascertain these facts with
out the aid Of the experiment station
but the station can assist him i'm ar
irving ut a knowledge OF the proper
tons Of sugar, protein and mineral
| matter contained. The proportion Of
sugar in roots is important, as the
more sugar the greater the value OF
the roots rs assistants in fattcninc
animals The farmer who knows
something Of the value of roots may
secure more valuable crop with les.
! yield than from u larger CROP that
contains q low percentage Of solids
and an excess OF water. and he should
therefore. cndeayor to become thor.
oughly informed in that direction.
Roots add value to all other foods
/ because or che fact that during tho
/ winter. when dry food Is the rule tho
use Of uruips. bects or carrots gives q
/ change from the dry ration to mora
I succulent Kind Digestion ls. There.
fore. promoted. and all kinds OF food
| become more beneficial. because moro
thoroughly dlgestcd and ossimilated
/ Cooking roots for stock is not now
I pfacticcd. compared with Formerly a.
/ inventors have introduced root sIicars