s spending two hours' time in covering, so
that you _know_ they can not freeze. There is hardly a more provoking
piece of carelessness, in the whole range of domestic economy, than the
needless loss of so many edible roots by frost.

_The table use_ of beets is everywhere known; their value for feeding
animals is not duly appreciated in this country. No one who keeps
domestic animals or fowls should fail to raise a beet-crop; it is one of
the surest crops grown; it is never destroyed by insects, and drought
affects it but very little. On good soil, beets produce an enormous
weight to the acre. The lower leaves may be stripped off twice during
the season, to feed to cows or other stock, without injury to the crop.
Cows will give more milk for fifteen days, fed on this root alone, than
on any other feed; they then begin to get too fat, and decline in milk:
hence, they should be fed beets and hay or other food in about equal
parts, on which they will do better than in any other way. Horses do
better on equal parts of beet and hay than on ordinary hay and grain.
Horses fed thus will fatten, needing only the addition of a little
ground grain, when working hard. Plenty of beets, with a little other
food, makes cows give milk as well as in summer. Raw beets cut fine,
with a little milk, will fatten hogs as fast as boiled potatoes. All
fowls are fond of them, chopped fine and mixed with other food. Sheep,
also, are fond of them. They are very valuable to ewes in the spring
when lambs come, when they especially need succulent food. The free use
of this root by English farmers is an important reason of their great
success in raising fine sheep and lambs. They promote the health of
animals, and none ever tire of them. As it needs no cooking, it is the
cheapest food of the root kind. Beets will keep longer, and in better
condition, than any other root. They never give any disagreeable flavor
to milk. It is considered established, now, that four pounds of beet
equal in nourishment five pounds of carrot. Every large feeder should
have a cellar beyond the reach of frosts, and of large dimensions,
accessible at all times, in which to keep his roots. These beets should
be piled up there as cord-wood, to give a free circulation of the air.

In Germany, the beet-crop takes the place of much of their meadows, at
a great saving of expense, producing remarkably fine horses, and
fattening immense herds of cattle, which they export to France.