The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1921-05-20

A surprising amount Of roots can
be produced on a small acreage. A
yield OF 25 tons per acre of mangel
wurzels is nothing unusual, while in
England, where roots are used al
most entirely to supply succulent
food, the yield per acre is increas-
ed still further by intensive farming.
Other kinds of beets. and also tur-
nips and carrots may be used. Tur-
nips. however, should be fed after
milking rather than before, as they
| give a bad flavor to the product.
! Yellow carrots impart a desirable
color to the milk. For feeding pur-
poses the mangels will probably be
! found the most practical beet
Among carrots, the Long Orange is
recommended because of its large
size and heavy yield. 1t forms a
long, thick root, and is very easily
grown. The White Vosages or Bel
gian is grown exclusively for stock,
and is an even heavier yielder. The
rutabaga is recommended as a good
turnip. The same. soils and methods
of cultivating are adapted to all three
kinds of roots.
The soil should be we'll enriched, |
and should be one that warns up
quickly in the spring. Most growers |
regard sandy loan as best adapted to |
the culture of root crops, this being |
particularly true of the early spring |
crop. For later crops heavy sells
can be employed, and muck soils
are widely used for the midsummer
and fall crops. Land that is in good |
physical condition as the result of
early and proper handling, well sup
piled with available plant food and
rich in organic matter, is essential to
best results. Applications of stable
manure at the rate Of 20 to so tons
per acre are advisable, and this may
profitably be supplemented by the
use of commercial fertilizer contain
ing at least 2, per cent nitrogen, s
per cent phosphoric acid and 4 per
cent potash.
The seed is sown in rows at least
80 inches apart if horse cultivation
is practiced but under hand cultiva-
ton they need not be more than Is
to IS inches. Ordinarily about 6
pounds of beet seed per acre is re-
quired Seed is ordinarily covered
to a depth of ga to 1 inch. As beet
seed is rather slow in termination, {
the practice of sowing some quick ;
sprouting seed along with it is some Z
times followed. These plants serve
as markers for the rows before the '
beets are up, so that cultivation may f
be begun before the beets show above |
the ground. !
Beet seeds come in clusters, and it a
IS inevitable that thinning by hand q
will be required Plants should be
given just room enough in the row to a
grow comfortably, usually about 6 f
inches apart. e
Roots intended for winter storage t
ire allowed to stand in the field I'M Q
il just before heavy autumn frosts a
,ccur, when they are pulled and stor C
ID in pits or collars. requiring much g
he same treatment as potatoes and f
imilar root crops. 8
From 20 to 35 pounds of sliced or a
ulped roots, with a proper grain ra-
ion and dry forage, is days ration 0
or an ordinary dairy COW. Thus it q
viii be seen that l and one-half tons ?
viii carry a COW thru the usual five C.
months winter weather. An acre or v
wo of beets, carrots and turnips will 1
e enough to supply any herd which
5 not large enough to make silo a
rofitable. With the development of v
he sugar-beet industry many imple- II
lents and methods of culture have 0
cen devised which reduce the labor n
CURED to grow root crops Il