Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1903-09-02
Turnlps a Summer Crop.


aid of turnips. beets. carrots, parsnips
or potatoes, for it is we'll known that
under very favorable conditions 1000
bushels may be grown upon an acre,
though such yields are exceptional
and the averages are much less. In
England much of the literature devot-
ed 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 a farm in the United States,
and that he makes sheep and turnips
pay all the expense, it should cncour-
age our farmers to give more atten.
tion to the mutton breeds of sheep
and to the advantages Of the root crops
as food for stock. Farmers should
carefully select seed from the best
| varieties, and also from the best
plants, as we'll as make comparative
tests, in order to determine the most
suitable varieties fer each particular
farm, as well as the quality and also
the yields. BY so doing the varieties
can be greatly improved In fact, by
selection the farmer can double his
Yields. and also sss!lrsSarIstieam ss.5S fsmgm5sr ss
4 n - omers lNin9 ----o.-smaii anu wa,
: tI1aeFy,,. e. afFd they have noticed wonderful
changes in corn, wheat, oats and otn-
er plants that have been made by Sc
lection. The root crops have also been
improved for every year new and bet
ter varieties are offered, but more
work is before those farmers who are
willing to improve in that direction.
The improvement of farm root crops
-mangels, turnips, etc.-should De
done with regard to diminishing the
amount CT water contained therein and
increasing the proportion of sugar,
starch and protein. Experiments maze
in England show that all roots have
tendency to contain an excess OF wa
ter. which In itself is valueless, and
some varieties are claimed to contain
water to harmful degree. In the root
crops small deviation in the percent
age of water materially affects the
feeding value, as ton OF one KIM
may contain twice as much solid mat
ter as ton of another variety. IL is
an advantage, as well as necessity,
therefore, that the farmer ascertain
the weight of the solids in a crcp. This
he can do by sending samples to the
state experiment station. The speclhc
gravity of the root is a guide to its
keeping quality. and the specific gray
ity of the juice is guide to Its iced
ing quality, hence, when its density is
highest in both the juice and the whole
root the value CT the crop for feeding
is the greatest. The farmer can easily
. ascertain these facts without the aid
{ Of the experiment station, but the sta
ton can assist him in arriving at
: knowledge of the proportions of sugar
protein and mineral matter contained
: The proportion OF sugar in roots Is
l important, as the more sugar the great
er the value of the roots as assistants
in fattening the animals. The farmer
who knows something of the value ol
: roots may secure more valuable cro[
:, with less yield than from larger
|. crop that contains low percentage
e of solids and an excess of water, ant
n he should, therefore. endeavor to be
: come thoroughly informed in that al
e rection.
k Roots add value to all other foods
r because of the fact that during th'
il winter. when dry food is the rule, tn
|. use of turnips, beets or carrots gives
e change from the dry ration to NOR
l. succulent kind Digestion Is, there
e fore, promoted. and all kinds OF foo'
1t become more thoroughly digestrd an
e assimilated. Cooking roots for stoc
II is not now practiced, compared wit
e formerly, as inventors have Introduce
Il slicers and pulpers, which prepar
ID such foods for stock with but little IL
le bor and with rapidity, thus placin
n before the farmer of today advantage
ID which he should not overlook. 1t
,e somewhat late for putting in crops
in beets and carrots, but July Is tn
e, month for growing turnips. Sine
r much injury has been done crops
IN some sections this year by drougf
Id and foods. the farmers who may s.v
er their attention to turnips will larSel
g. recover their loss of feeding materia
OF The turnip crop is now cne OF tn
A cheapest produced on the farm, col
as sidering the large yields that al
rk possible, as seed drills, wheel hoe
e. and hand cultivation enable the groN
Up err to put in the seed and keep dow
e. the weeds with as little outlay p'
ed acre as for corn. The turnip is
t's summer and fall crop, and can
grown in short time. The grcwir
OF but one acre of turnips will pr
vide the farmer in the winter seast
", with a food that is valuable from
tin dietary point of view, even If 1t Is lo
in in solids and contains large propc
,st ton of water.-Philadelphia Record.