The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1855-05-18
asritultura
CULTURE OF CARROTS.

We do no, know Of any other root crop
,ha, appears 10 be so well adapted TO our
climate and circumstances as carrots
Doubtless, the common ,urnip. so extensive.
ly grown in Grea, Britain, draws less on the
. soil than carrots; and, where climate is suit
able, affords better means of enriching a
farm. For this reason, We would do all in
our power 10 extend the cultivation OF ,ur.
nips, ru,a basas, &C., bu, a, the same time,
we mus, admit tha, they do not appear 10 be
so well adapted 10 this climate as the carrot;
and they certainly are far inferior in nu,ri.
tive quality. Carrots require much more
labor in wedding, and mus, be sown earlier
and a, buster season than the turnips and
ruia bagas. Nevertheless, carrots are an ex-
ceedingly valuable root crop, and no farmer
should ee wi,hou, a considerable pla, OF
them. As condimeni FOR horses, there is
nothing equal TO them, and while we canno,
agree with those who consider u bashel OF
carrots equal in nu,riive value to eushel
OF oats, or with the learned Professor who
asserts that, because carrots contain poetic
acid, they gelantize the food in the stomach
Of a horse, and rake il more easily assimi-
liable, yet, as an auxiliary food for horses
and mich cows, carrots, and indeed most
other roots, are ot much more value than
the simple amour, OF nu,ri,ive matter they
contain would indicate.
A deep, rich, mellow, loamy soil,-not
too heavy, and ye, containing sufficien, clay
10 enable il, when well titled, TO resist an
ordinary drou,h, lis admirably adapted for
carrots. From 20 TO 40 loads ofwell roiied
manure per acre should be spread upon the
land in the spring, and Incorporated with
the soil as much as possible, before ploIring,
with the culiivator or harrow. Then plow
4, under as deep as the nature Of the soil
will warrant. Let four hands follow the
team, and rake in to the furow any manure
,ha, may be left uncovered, leaving the sur
face clean and smooth.
The ground should be sown soon after il |
Is plowcd, while moist. in rows ia 10 II
inches apart, and abou, half an inch deep. |
The soil should be pressed on the seed by
,reading or rolling. II this is done, aud the
seed is soaked 4s hours in ,epid water, and
then dried with plaster, till j, will separate
readily, before sowing, the difficulty Of de-
fcien, termination, which many complain
Of, will be avoided. lfsown BY hand, Abs.
Of seed per acre is the usual quantity If
with drill. lbs. will be sufficient. In the
former case, the land should be marked ou,
with marker made for the purpose, and
the seed be covered with rake.
In this vicinity, carrots should be sown as
early in May as the season will allow. ~
the weather is favorable, they will be up
and ready for the frs, hoeins in abou, three
weeks. The hoe should then bs passed
lightly through between the rows 10 Kill IN,
weeds. This is very important Muci
labor Of wedding afterwards will be saveC
by thus destroying The weeds before they
have full possession Of the ground. The
stirring OF the soil also helps the growth o
the carrots. In ten days hoe again, weet
the rows, and thin out the carrots il loo thick
After two weeks, hoe deep, weed and :hir
out the carrots 10 four or five inches apar
in the rows, and the work is complete iOl
the season. +. S. HAYWARD Of Brighton
Monroe Co., N. Y, very successful caro-
grower, adopts this system Of management
We were over his farm during the severe
drou,h Of las, season, and his carrot crop wa:
growing in fine luxuriousness, apparently
suffering no injury from the drouih. The
land was entirely free from weeds the hoe
was passed through the rows fiequen,ly, ard
doubtless this cons,an, stirring of the soil
had much 10 do in mitigating the effects oI
dry weather. Mr.. II. averages about 1000
bushels OF carrots per acre. He says "ihese
is no crop the farmer can raise ,ha, pays SC
well, or yields so much good feed for stock. "
Experiments were made with artificial
manures on carrots on the State Farm o.
Massachusetts. last year. The manure wa.
appor,ioned according to its cost, each acre
being dressed with twelve dollars worth.
The resul, was as follows.
Barn yard manure, 7i3 bu. per acre
Guano, eco
Potash, 62s
DeBorg's super phosphate oflme, $50
Mapes' improved" do, 5I2
Reservoir manure, SO
The rcpOr, does not inform US wha, kind
otguano was used, but we suppose j, to BE-
Peruvian. Good Peruvian guano sowr