Cornell University Library SB 209.F56 Growing roots; a paper ready by John Fixt 3 1924 000 361 695 l^sva fork ^tate (HolU^ of Agrtrulturr At (dnrttpU Mninfraitg 3tl|ara. N. f. iCibrary GROWING ROOTS ^^^ A. PAPER READ BY JOHI^ FIXTEE MaedonaM, College, P.Q. BEFORE THE STANDING COMMITTEE OF THE SENATE ON AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY 1911 PRINTED BY ORDER OF PARLIAMENT OTTAWA PRINTED BY C. H. PARMELEE, PRINTER TO THE KING'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY 1911 2S150-1 -^ 3"^ e ,^7^-^ GROWING ROOTS BY John Fixter, Macdonald College, P.Q. The importance of the root crop, for the economical feeding of all kinds of live stock, is long past the experimental stage. Dairymen and beef producers find that when roots are fed animals keep in better condition, and the flow of milk and the pro- duction of flesh increase with lessened cost. Poultry-keepers and hog-raisers also find that when there is no grass, roots are the best and cheapest substitute. There is nothing fed to animals that is more relished. Roots appear to act as a tonic and help to make all other dry feed palatable. There is about 90 per cent, of water in roots, but thie water seems to have a most beneficial effect upon the digestion of the animals. The feeding of roots will enable the feeder to diminish the quantity of meal in the ration, and thus lessen the cost of production, as meal is much more expensive. Eight pounds of roots are equivalent to one pound of meal. Roots have a corrective effect upon all animals which are being forced, especially with cows that are producing large quan- tities of milk, and with steers that are putting on large quantities of fiesh. Boots may be successfully grown throughout Canada. The Dominion census statistics report an acreage of 236,622 acres with an average yield of 402-36 bushels per acre, valued at $21,444,000. On the Macdonald College farm the average yield was 1,009 bushels, the highest yield being 1,150 bushels per acre. If the crop of the Dominion had been equal to the one grown on the College farm, the value would have been $63,823,000. This is more than double the amount of the Dominion yield, and yet does not reach the limit of production. Farmers might with profit devote larger acreage to the growing of roots. Soil. Roots will grow on all soils' that contain a reasonable amount of plant food and where the water does not come too near the surface. Should the field chosen have different kinds of soil, select the light soil for carrots, the medium for mangels and the heavy for turnips. Mangels, or sugar mangels, usually give good crops on peaty soil when a light coating of barnyard manure has been applied. Place in the Rotation. Mangels, carrots, turnips, and sugar mangels do best when sown on an overturned clover sod. If possible select a field that has had but one season's hay crop taken off. 20150— li The roots will then have the benefit of the fertilizing elements of the clover roots which, in one acre of the average clover sod, should be equal to the amount of nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash contained in 12 to 15 tons of barnyard manure. Preparation of the Soil. Previous summer, or after-harvest cultivation is advised. Immediately after removing the hay crop plough very shallow, roll, disc harrow, and harrow suiBciently to make a fine surface and keep down all plant growth until autumn. This can be accomplished by keeping the cultivator going at intervals on very warm sunny days; each time going over the field set the cultivator a little deeper, so that the last cultiva- tion will be at least 8 to lO inches deep. If manure is then applied, rib up the land in ribs 2 feet apart, and leave until spring. If no manure is applied the land may either be ribbed or thoroughly ploughed, and well set up to permit the action of the winter frost. Another and more profitable way of preparing the soil is as follows : After the hay crop is removed, plough the land 4 to 5 inches deep, roll with a heavy land roller a sufficient number of times to thoroughly pack the soil. Next disc harrow, and barrow thoroughly; then sow the field with rape, or white turnips in rows wide enough apart to cultivate between them. The cultivator should be kept going at short intervals to destroy and prevent the growth of weeds and other vegetation. This cultivation inaproves the physical condition of the soil by fining it, extending the feeding area for roots and aids in the conservation of moisture. By this method the land will be return- ing a profit, and the soil will be prepared for the root crop to follow. With either method of preparation deep tillage in the autumn is advisable. As a general rule the ordinary plough should never go deeper than to turn over the surface, or dark coloured layer, which contains most of the humus or plant food. If deeper ploughing is done, and the raw subsoil brought to the surface, the soil will become less productive. It is, however, desirable to loosen the subsoil 8 or 10 inches deep, so that rain water will percolate into the subsoil, and thus increase the water-holding capacity, and allow the air free access into the soil to warm it, and produce the necessary conditions for the bacteria to act on the vegetable matter and make it available for plant food. Another benefit in loosening the subsoil is to allow the rootlets of deep rooted plants to pene- trate and feed on the mineral matter contained in the subsoil. Manuring. Should you have any manure on hand in tlie autumn a light drcs-iing, say li! to 15 tons i)er acre, should be applied. For autumn ploughing I would advise ploughing a narrow furrow and yelling it well up so that tlie nnnuire will not be turned into tlie bottom of the furrow, but can be seen from the top and evenly distributed throughout. This, iilun;,' with tlie gcMid ^reen clover sod tlint has been ploughed under, should bo equal to about 22 t(j 2.5 Ions of nuinure per aero. If no niuuure is on hand in the autumn I sliould advise a <'uating of Krecin, or fri'sli, mnnui'e being npiilied during the winter. If possible ilraw direct from the Stable to the tield. Should (hero be no snow, or little snow, siirend from tbo wu^'on or with llie nuinure spreader; the latter is preferable, as it will do the work much more evenly than can be done by band. Shoidd the snow be deep, or should there be any danger of washing away, put the manure in small piles about eight yards apart each way, and spread as soon as the snow is gone in springtime. It is essential to have the manure spread early so that it will get incor- porated with the soil, and be turned under much more easily when ploughing. The spring ploughing should be shallow, and as short a time as possible before the planting season. If the land has been ribbed or drilled in the autumn the ribs should be split with the same ploughs they were set up with, and a very fine tilth made before sowing. Drilling or sowing on the flat — ^Drilling is preferred, as it is very much easier to work the young plants when thinning, and better for the roots to have the soil slightly worked away instead of covering them. Make the drills 24 inches apart, then roll with the heavy land roller, thus flattening them down to about one-third of their original height. The field should then be in good condition for sowing. VARIETIES. Among the numerous varieties the following will be found to give good results : — Mangels. — The Mammoth Long Red are types we recommend, as they have more feeding value and usually give heavier crops than the Tankards or Globes. Sow 6 to 8 pounds of seed per acre. Sugar mangels. White or Rosy. This is a new and distinct variety, being a cross between the mangel and sugar beet. It contains the rich quality of the sugar beet with the heavy production, size and keeping qualities of the mangel. The roots are clean, and leaves usually small, making them easily harvested. They are solid and rich in feeding value. Sow six to eight pounds of seed per acre. Swedes. Prize Purple Top, Hall's Westhury, Magnum Bonum, Kangaroo, Hart- ley's Bronze Top. All are excellent varieties. Sow three to four pounds of seed per acre. Turnips, fall varieties. — Greystone, Imperial Green Globe, Purple Top Mammoth, Cow Horn and Red Top White Globe. Those varieties are not as good keepers and should be fed off in the early part of the season. Sow three to four pounds per acre. Carrots. — Improved Short White, Mammoth, White Intermediate, Large White Vosges, Red Carrots, Guerande, Ox Heart or Early Gem. AH are heavy croppers and have excellent feeding qualities. Sow 2^ to SJ pounds of seed per acre. Less, seed in all cases would do if all grew and produced strong healthy plants, but in order to have a perfect stand I should advise the amounts nanjed. More failures in securing a good catch of roots are due to not sowing enough seed than to over-seeding or almost any other cause. It is much easier and cheaper to thin out the plants than to transplant them. MACHINES FOR SOWING. To the best of my knowledge there is no satisfactory horse-drawn seeding machine. Very good results are obtained by the use of the hand machine made with cups inside the drum. The cups fill with seed as the machine revolves, and deposit the seed at the opening; while the smooth drum horse machine very often clogs, especially with the larger seeds, and thus causes blanks in the row. Manufacturers making the 3 horse machine should make it more like tlieliand machine. All that is required is to enlarge the seed boxes to about twice their present size, and to have a cup opposite each opening on the inside of the seed box so that it will fill each time the machine revolves, and place the seed in its proper place. Cultivation. Early cultivation of the young plants is very essential. Just as soon as the plants appear through the surfaee and the row can be followed begin cultivating. If the rows have all been sown exactly the same distance apart the single horse cultivator may be used. In order to arrange the horse cultivator to do the best work when the plants are small, place the wing mould-boards one on each side of the inside of the outside legs with the points upwards, as they cut much cleaner and do not disturb the plants as much as if the points were turned down. It may be necessary to remove some of the centre points when the plants are small. If the horse cultivator cannot be made to cut clean to within one inch of the plants, use the hand wheel hoe. This little machine may be arranged to cut within half an inch of the plants. If the land is free from stone, stubble, or litter, use the six-inch blades. If stony or lumpy use the two small ploughs, cutting quite close on each side of the row of plants. Early cultivation loosens the surface soil that has been packed by the roller and any crust formed by frequent showers, thus allowing the air to enter, warming the soil, retarding evaporation by making a dust blanket, destroying many small weeds, and forcing the growth of roots. Thinning and Hoeing. Mangels, sugar mangels, carrots or turnips. — Commence thinning when the plants are from one and a half to two inches high, leaving one good vigorous plant 10 to 12 inches apart in the row. Thinning is more economically done with the hoe than by hand, and a special hoe is necessary, which may be made from an ordinary weeding hoe with the neck straightened a little so that the hoe can be used to push or pull out the plants. The hoe should be cut to a length of 4 by 6 inches and have four square corners, and both ends and blade sharpened. Square corners are essential, as they help to separate the plants quickly. When thinning carrots a special hoe is necessary ; in this case the blade should be 2J inches wide, with square corners. A file should be carried so that the hoe can be kept sharp. When thinning roots the operator should walk between the first and second rows from the one he is thinning, as the plants can be seen belter from this distance than when walking directly over the row. No stooping or hand thinning is necessary, as the work can be done much more economically with the hoe. Eoots should always be hoed at least once after thinning, whether there are weeds or not, as it pulverizes the soil between the plants with the usual benefits of cultivation. Cultivating should l>egin when the plants are quite small, and the eultivadir should bo kept going at short intervals until the leaves of the plants hav(^ eovere>