The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1903-08-05
Turnlps a Summer Crop.

The root crops are greatly overlooked
In this country, but in Europe no farm
er wonld expect success without the
aid of turnips, beets, carrots, parsnips
or potatoes, for IL Is well 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 bulbous 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, 1t should encour-
age our farmers to give more atten-
ton 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 well as make comparative
tests, in order to determine the most
suitable varieties for each particular
farm, as we'll 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 secure varieties es-
pecially adapted TO his farm. There
are farmers living who can remember
when the tomato was small and wa
terry, and they have noticed wonderful
changes in corn, wheat, oats and 9TH
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 be
done with regard to diminishing the
amount of water contained therein and
increasing the proportion of sugar,
starch and protein. Experiments made
in England show that all roots have Q
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 a small deviation in the percent
age of water materially affects the
feeding value, as a ton of one kind
may contain twice as much solid mat
| ter as a ton OF another variety. II is
an advantage, as well as a necessity,
therefore, that the farmer ascertain
the weight of the solids in a crop. This
he can do by sending samples to the
state experiment station. The specific
gravity of the root is guide to its
keeping quality, and the specific grav.
ity of the juice is a guide to its feed
ing quality, hence, when its density Is
highest in both the juice and the whole
root, the value Of the crop for feeding
is the greatest. The farmer can easily
ascertain these facts without the aid
Of the experiment station, but the sta
tion can assist him in arriving at a
knowledge of the proportions of sugar,
protein and mineral matter contained.
The proportion of sugar in roots Is
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 OF
roots may secure more valuable crop
with less yield than from a larger
crop that contains low percentage
of solids and an excess of water, and
he should, therefore. endeavor to be
come thoroughly informed in that di
rection.
Roots add value to all other foods
because of the fact that during the
winter, when dry food is the rule, the
use of turnips, beets or carrots gives a
change from the dry ration to a more
succulent kind. Digestion is, there
fore. promoted, and all kinds OF food
become more thoroughly digested and
assimilated. Cooking roots for stocl
is not now practiced, compared with
formerly, as inventors have introduced
slicers and pulpers, which prepare
such foods for stock with but little la
Dor and with rapidity, thus placing
before the farmer of today advantages
which he should not overlook. II Ii
somewhat late for putting in crops o.
beets and carrots, but July is the
month for growing turnips. Since
much injury has been done crops II
some sections this year by drought
and floods. the farmers who may Civ,
their attention to turnips will, largel,
recover their loss of feeding material
The turnip crop is now one Of thu
cheapest produced on the farm, con
sidering the large yields that arr
possible, as seed drills, wheel hoe
and hand cultivation enable the grow
er to put in the seed and keep dow
the weeds with as little outlay pc
acre as for corn. The turnip is I
summer and fall crop. and can b,
grown in a short time. The growing
of but one acre of turnips will pre-
vide the farmer in the winter seasol
with q food that is valuable from
dietary point of view. even II 1t is lov
In solids and contains large propoI
tion OF water.-Philadelphia Record.