Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1856-05-16
Agricultural Rfaoina.
From the New England Farmer
The Carrot.

Carrot, has been translated from the french for IN
y. E Farmer, by an intelligent and earnest friend
Of agriculture. Il Is sketch of Flemish sgrical-
ture. originally published by the "society for the
of Useful knowledge" and printed
by the Bureau Of Agriculture, Montreal, 1851
Carrots, says the author, to do well in
light soil which has been plowed to
great depth, and they consequently form
part Of the regular rotation Of crops upon
light lands. When they are sown as q
principal crop, it is generally after pOta-
toes, buckwheat, or kind of turnip called
rape. The earth having been well af-
fected by these crops, is subjected to any
additional blowing before winter, and
receives one-half the quantity of manure
usually employed, either that of neat cat
tie, or the sweepings of streets, with which |
is mixed one-third part of hog manure, |
under the idea that this last drives away |
the moles and mice of the fields which
otherwise endanger the crop. The land
is now plowed to the depth of six or seven
inches, and thus rests for the winter At
the commencement of April the land is
again plowed to the depth of nine or ten
inches, and manfred with liquid manure
at the rate of about twenty hogsheads to
the acre. Two and half pounds of seed
are sown to the acre. The harrow re-
versed (ltnrersei) is then used, and the
spaces between the beds are dug up with
spade, and the earth is thrown evenly
upon the seed. The roller is then passed
lightly over the field. In some cases
liquid manure only is used. If the pre-
ceding crops were potatoes, the soil is
usually sufficiently rich, and any addition
of manure has oRly the effect to make the
carrots fork, this being caused by an ex-
cess of manure. But if carrots follow
buckwheat which has not been highly
MANFRED, it is necessary to add manure
in order to secure a good harvest. The
more the manure is decomposed and mixed
! with the earth, the better for the crop
When the carrots are up it is necessary
to weed them with care. This is the
principal trouble; and women and chill
dren who labor upon their hands and
knees are annually employed in that ser
/ vice.
| If the seed-sower is used, much trouble
is saved by the use of the horseshoe be-
tween the rows and then the hand-hoe
among the plants. 1.-THE carrots are mis-
sing, the farmer supplies the ground i'm
mediateiy with the turnip or spurry, in
order that no time may be lost, In May
the carrots are thinned, and those which
are pulled are given to COWS. They are
left at the distance of six inches from
each other. Field carrots in Flanders
are of two sorts. One is the orange car
ret of Holland. now quite common in
England; the other is the white carrot,
, which is more vigorous, attaiRs greater
, size, and upon light soil yields much
larger crop. After an experiment upon
a small scale, we are compelled to believe
that it is valuable addition to our family
l of roots for the use of animals in the win
ter.
The white carrot is usually sown with
another crop, as fax or barley. In such
cases it Is sown one or two weeks after
the principal crop. The fax or grair
viii come forward rapidly, while the car
ret is consequently kept down, and mus
content itself while pushing its roots deeE
into the soil, without much increase o
l size, or growth of leaves. After the fa1
! is pulled, they pass again over the felC
and remove the weeds. 4 dressing o
u liquid manure is then furnished, and til,
carrot increases rapidly. IF the princi
pal crop is barley, the stubble is pulled u
0 with care, and the carrot is then treatet
as above.
Towards the middle of October tn,
4 farmer is thus able to take a crop of car
rots from land which had already fur
d nished an excellent crop in the first par
s of the season, and thus obtains consid
d cradle additional quantity of food for hi
g animals during winter. Carrots are some
Il times sown among peas. The peas ripe
; in July, and are Immediately gathered
q and the carrots are then treated as befor
" described. When peas and carrots ar
q raised in alternate rows, the result is usu
oi ally favorable. In either case fifteen load:
oi ten or twelve tons, are considered a geo
crop.
: five judge from the product of abou
/ one-eight of an acre of good sandy lant
J. on which, in England, the white carrot
,r often raised without manure, in rows on
D, foot apart, well weeded and hoed, til
c crop may rise to the amount of twenty
i'll two tons per acre. The orange carrc
D. ordinarily produces only half that amour