414 Field Crops
The land is
manured for the corn;
this crop may be fed off by hogs if desired, as practically all of it
will then be returned to the land. The cultivation of the
corn
crop and the rapid growth and early maturity of the barley all aid in
subduing weeds. After the barley is harvested, the land is
plowed
and then harrowed at intervals during the fall to kill any weeds that
appear. This insures the easy preparation of a good seed bed
free
from weeds for the beets the following spring.
[Fig. 129. Mangels produce a heavy yield to the acre and supply a large quantity of succulent feed for dairy cows and other stock.]
The usual preparation for beets, whether or not the rotation just given is followed, is to plow the land in the fall and disk it deeply and thoroughly in the spring. From four to six harrowings and diskings are usually required to put it in proper condition for seeding. The land should be fertile; if it has not been manured for a previous crop, the application of a good supply of well-rotted manure is beneficial. Fresh
[Fig. 129. Mangels produce a heavy yield to the acre and supply a large quantity of succulent feed for dairy cows and other stock.]
The usual preparation for beets, whether or not the rotation just given is followed, is to plow the land in the fall and disk it deeply and thoroughly in the spring. From four to six harrowings and diskings are usually required to put it in proper condition for seeding. The land should be fertile; if it has not been manured for a previous crop, the application of a good supply of well-rotted manure is beneficial. Fresh
The Culture of Mangels 415
manure should not be used, as it is likely to contain many weed seeds.536. Seeding.
The seed of the beet is produced in "balls," or "bolts," which contain from one to five seeds. For this reason, it is impossible to regulate the rate of seeding perfectly, and hand thinning must be practiced to obtain a good stand. The seed may be sown with a one-row drill, though where roots are grown in any quantity the use of a drill which sows several rows at a time is desirable. Mangels are usually planted in rows ranging from 28 to 36 inches apart; the rate of seeding is from 6 to 8 pounds to the acre. The seed is covered about 1 inch deep, or deeper if necessary to insure moisture for germination. Seeding should be done as soon as the ground is in good condition, which is about the first of May in the Northern states, though on heavy soils it may have to be delayed till about May 20.537. Cultivation.
As soon as the rows can be followed, the land should be cultivated. The best type of cultivator is a four-row one with knives that cut just below the surface of the soil. Cultivation should be repeated every eight or ten days till the tops meet between the rows. In order to obtain a perfect stand and prevent crowding, the plants must be thinned to the proper distance as soon as they are large enough, which is about the time the fourth or fifth leaf is produced. They should first be "bunched," cutting out all the plants in the rows with a hoe except small bunches 1 or 2 inches wide and 10 or 12 inches apart. After the plants have recovered somewhat from the "bunching," but while they are still small, they are thinned by hand, all but the largest plant in each bunch being removed. This leaves the single plants about 12 inches apart in the row. The bunching and thinning is slow and expensive work, and it is largely because of it that root crops are not more popular among416 Field Crops
American farmers.
It is more
necessary for sugar beets than for other root crops, as uniformity is
more important in that crop, and the seed is sown thicker to insure a
full stand. Large yields being essential to the profitable
production of root crops of all kinds, much depends on the preparation
of the soil, its freedom from weeds, and the care which is given.
in grain and is somewhat higher than that in silage. It is
palatable and nutritious, and an unusually high proportion of it is
digestible. Mangels are most commonly fed to dairy cattle,
though
they may be fed to sheep and hogs if desired. As from 10 to
15
tons may readily be produced to the acre, the farmers in the Northern
states can well afford to raise more mangels and other root crops.
Their feeding value is about the same as that of mangels.
16 [sic]
ting and harvesting are not different from those already given for
mangels. Carrots yield from 10 to 25 tons of roots and 3 or 4
tons of tops to the acre.
with their proper curing. Sowing the rape a couple of weeks later than the grain usually avoids this trouble, while the rape succeeds quite as well.
Kale is used quite extensively as a fall and winter soiling crop for dairy cows and other stock in Oregon and Washington west of the Cascade Range. As the winters are mild, it may be cut at any time from October to April.
Bailey's Cyclopedia of American Agriculture, Vol. II.
Burkett's Farm Crops.
Hunt's Forage and Fiber Crops in America.
Shaw's Forage Crops.
Shaw's Soiling Crops and the Silo.
Voorhees' Forage Crops.
Farmers' Bulletins:
164, Rape as a Forage Crop.
309, pp. 7-15, Root Crops.
538. Harvesting.
Mangels should be harvested as soon as growth stops in the fall, which is when the outer leaves begin to wither. They should not be exposed to severe frosts, though the first light frosts will not injure them. The roots should be removed from the ground without breaking or bruising them, for bruised roots soon decay. If necessary, they may be loosened by plowing a furrow close beside the row, or by a beet differ run under the row, but mangels can usually be pulled easily by hand. The tops are then twisted or cut off and the beets thrown into piles from which they are loaded into wagons and hauled to the root cellar or pit for storing. The tops may be thrown into windrows for curing, as they make excellent feed for cattle, sheep, and hogs. If they are not desired for feeding, they should be scattered over the field and plowed under for fertilizer.539. Storing.
Mangels and other roots should be stored as soon as harvested. For this purpose, a root cellar is desirable, though not absolutely necessary. Good ventilation, freedom from dampness, and a temperature just above the freezing point give the best conditions for storing. If a cellar is not available, the roots may be placed in a pit and covered with alternate layers of straw and earth, increasing the depth of covering as the weather becomes colder.540. Uses.
Mangels are used as a substitute for corn and corn silage in the North and in high altitudes where the weather is too cool for that crop to succeed. The dry matter in mangels is equal in feeding value to the dry matterCarrots 417
Carrots
541. Description.
The carrot, Daucus carota, has finely-divided leaves, flowers and seeds in a dense umbel, and roots of various shapes and colors. Most varieties taper from the crown to the tap-root, though some are cylindrical for most of their length, while others are short and thick. The color of the flesh and skin may be white, yellow, orange, or red. Carrots are grown in only a limited way for stock feeding, mostly for horses.Their feeding value is about the same as that of mangels.
542. Culture.
Carrots grow best in a deep sandy loam. The seed bed should be well prepared and free from weeds, as germination and early growth are slow. The rows should be from 24 to 30 inches apart and the plants about 3 inches apart in the rows. From 4 to 6 pounds of seed are required to sow an acre. The methods of planting, thinning, cultiva-16 [sic]
418 Field Crops
Turnips and Rutabagas
543. Description.
The turnip and the rutabaga are closely related plants of the genus Brassica, which also includes mustard, rape, and several of our garden vegetables. The rutabaga is Brassica campestris; the turnip, Brassica rapa. The roots of turnips and rutabagas vary from the flattened form of the common turnip to the long, cylindrical "cowhorn" type in shape, and from white to yellow, purple, and red in color. The flesh is white or yellow; it is usually white in turnips and yellow in rutabagas. Turnips mature more quickly, while rutabagas have a higher feeding value and keep better.544. Culture.
Rutabagas and turnips grow best in a cool, moist climate and in a sandy loam soil. The preparation of the soil, seeding, cultivation, harvesting, and storing are not different from the treatment which has been recommended for mangels. From 2 to 3 pounds of turnip and 4 to 5 pounds of rutabaga seed are required to the acre. As turnips make their growth in from two to three months, they may be sown in the late summer and yet mature a crop before frost. They grow best in cool weather, and for fall and winter use should not be sown till the latter part of July. Rutabagas, on the other hand, require from four to six months to reach maturity, and must be sown in May or June.545. Uses.
Turnips and rutabagas are largely used in England for feeding to stock, and to some extent in Canada, but they are seldom grown for this purpose in the United States. They are equal in feeding value to mangels and other root crops, and the grain ration may be materially re-Cabbage and Kohlrabi 419
duced when they are used. Rutabagas are especially good for feeding to pigs. As turnips do not keep well, they should be fed in the early fall; rutabagas may be kept through the winter without much difficulty. When all the root crops are grown, turnips are usually fed first, being either pastured off or fed as soon as they are harvested; rutabagas are then used till about January 1, after which mangels are substituted. Rutabagas may be fed throughout the winter if desired.Cabbage and Kohlrabi
546. Culture and Uses.
Cabbage and kohlrabi are different forms of the same original plant, Brassica oleracea. In cabbage, the food material is stored in the leaves, which form a compact head, while in kohlrabi it is stored in an enlargement of the stem, which looks like a rutabaga above ground. Cabbage is commonly grown as a garden vegetable, but is used to some extent for feeding to stock, while kohlrabi is not extensively grown in America for any purpose. Cabbage produces a large yield of succulent feed, which is best used by feeding direct from the field in the fall. Kohlrabi is said to be more drouth-resistant and to grow in warmer climates than the rutabaga; it is about equal to that crop in feeding value. It should be sown in the same manner as the rutabaga and the plants thinned to about the same distance apart. Cabbage may be sown in the garden early in the spring and transplanted to the field in June by hand or with a transplanting machine, or the seed may be sown in hills about 24 inches apart, dropping three or four seeds in the hill and later thinning to a single plant. The rows should be about 3 feet apart and the plants about 24 inches apart in the row. Cultivation is the same as for other crops discussed in this chapter.420 Field Crops
Rape and Kale
547. Description.
Rape, Brassica napus, is a quick-growing, leafy plant with stems from 2 to 4 feet tall. The leaves grow along the stem instead of from the crown as in many of the other plants of this genus. The variety which is commonly grown in this country is the Dwarf Essex, a biennial type which produces seed only where the plants will survive the winter. Where it does produce seed, however, the yield is heavy, so that the seed is cheap, and as only 3 to 5 pounds are required to the acre, the expense of seeding is small. Kale, or headless cabbage, one of the numerous forms of Brassica oleracea, grows in much the same form as rape, but has larger leaves and produces heavier yields of forage. It is grown as a forage crop only in the mild climate of western Oregon and western Washington.548. Culture.
Rape grows best on rich, moist loam soils. Its growth is rapid, hence it is often sown broadcast, as it is able to compete successfully with weeds. Larger yields are obtained, however, if it is sown in drills from 28 to 36 inches apart and given frequent cultivation while the plants are small. As the plant is a gross feeder, it can use large quantities of stable manure or other fertilizers. The yields from poor soil are apt to be disappointing, but the quantity of forage produced on rich soil is remarkable. Rape may be sown alone at any time during the spring or early summer months, or with oats or other grain in the spring. When sown with grain, not more than 1 or 2 pounds of rape seed to the acre should be used. The rape usually grows slowly till the grain crop is removed, when it starts into rapid growth and supplies abundant forage. In wet seasons on rich soil, it sometimes makes such rapid growth that much of it is harvested in the butts of the grain bundles, thus interferingRape and Kale 421
with their proper curing. Sowing the rape a couple of weeks later than the grain usually avoids this trouble, while the rape succeeds quite as well.
549. Uses.
It is customary to pasture rape, when it is sown either alone or with a grain crop. Occasionally, it is cut for soiling, but it is never cured into dry fodder. It is most largely used as pasture for hogs and sheep. Better results are obtained if stock are pastured on only a small area at a time, using movable fences or hurdles and changing the animals to different areas as necessary. Otherwise, much of the feed is wasted by the animals tramping it into the soil. Rape is a succulent, palatable feed, very similar in composition to the best perennial pasture crops, and as it produces a large quantity of forage in a short time, it should be more extensively used. Care should be taken to prevent bloating when cattle or sheep are first turned on it. When sown with grain crops and pastured after the grain is harvested, sheep will put on flesh rapidly, as they get the benefit of the gleanings as well as the rape.Kale is used quite extensively as a fall and winter soiling crop for dairy cows and other stock in Oregon and Washington west of the Cascade Range. As the winters are mild, it may be cut at any time from October to April.
Supplementary Reading
Allen's Cabbage, Cauliflower, and Allied Vegetables.Bailey's Cyclopedia of American Agriculture, Vol. II.
Burkett's Farm Crops.
Hunt's Forage and Fiber Crops in America.
Shaw's Forage Crops.
Shaw's Soiling Crops and the Silo.
Voorhees' Forage Crops.
Farmers' Bulletins:
164, Rape as a Forage Crop.
309, pp. 7-15, Root Crops.