OCR Text |
Show Mangels For Livestock While tho mangel or stock beet would not serve ns n complete diet, It docs mako a splendid supplement to other feeds for dairy cows, swine and sheep. Mangels nro appetizing, succulent and generally rellslwd If not fed In too great quantities or when frozen or too cold, I know of nothing thnt will make u greater yield per acra than this root. It Is not uncommon to securo thirty-five tons to tlw acre and even greater yields nro possible. Tho seed should be planted :n a deep, rich mellow loam nnd tho ground should bo as fr.?o from weeds as posslbla. IlecaiiBe of tho necessity neces-sity of potash, It Is a good plan to select a pleco of ground having a clny subsoil Ileforo plowing in the full mntiuro Bhould bo applied to the ground and disced in. The land' bhould hi plowed plow-ed again In the spring and subsc qiicntly disced In older to make It compact. The Beed should bo drilled In rowH fur enough apart lo permit cultivation. cultiva-tion. It Is not advisable to plant tho feed until ths ground Is warm and mellow. After the beets nro up they bhould be thinned, leaving ono good strong plant every eight or ten Inches, Inch-es, thus affording an abundance of room for growth. Tho seed mould be planted ono Jnch deep, using about flvo or six pounds to tho acre. In Holland and Denmark, where tho mangel Is used as ono of tho sin. pie feeds for dairy cows, about thirty thir-ty thousand plants to the uc;o are grown, -tho seeth being planted In rows clo,e together and cultivated with a hand Implement. The beets Bhould bo pulled and topped Just before the ground freezes and stored In a vault or cellar wh ro they will not freezo. Hccauso of tho high watc content of tho beets, animals will securo C03 much old water If they are fed big quantities when tho beets arc very cold. Ona pound of dry matter, It being very dlgestiblo Is equal to about eight pounds of tho roots and will glvo tho samo results as one pound of corn meal wh'in fed to a milch cow. On tho basis of thirty tons per aero, on aero of beets has the same feeding vnluo's j34 bushels bush-els of corn. Ileforo being fed to cattle, the bcetii should bo ground or chopped fins, imt when fed to sheep the)' should be cut Into pieces nn Itic'.i or nu Inch nnd n half In diameter It Is a good plnn to ml- tho pulp with finely cut alfalfa hay and permit It to stand twelve hours before being fed. The mangel, In addition to being n splendid substitute for com, when fed In conjunction with clover nnd alfalfa hay gives the animal u change which is always relished. |