The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1856-05-22
The Carrot Crop.

..If everv farmer in the United States
.ro,,Id raise half an acre of carrots the pres
en-. wear, it would be the beginning of a new
era in agriculture We regard il as an IN
dispensable crop-quite as useful in feeding
cattle and horses as Indian meal. The car
rot is raised in large quantities by eastern
dairvmen, some Of whom plant as high as
te;n acres yearly. The advantages Of root
ra sing arr various: They ameliorate the soil;
they afford variety of feed during winter
aud that of a succulent nature, which tends
10 preserve the animals health; they in
crease the flow Of milk, and carrots and
/. parsnips greatly improve its quality. All
crops do well after carrots, which is not the
ease with turnips or beets.
The quantity raised per acre varies with
soil, rnanures and culture. The crops which
received the prizes Of the New OK Agri- (
cultural Society in 1850, (half an acre each
we're 4ol bushels of 60 lbs per bushel; see
ond. $50 bushels; third. 575 bushels. In
1888 the Litchfeld Co. Comm Agricultural
Society awarded a premium TO Abraham
Beeeher for the best acre Of carrots. l,416
bushels: to Albert Walthams for the second
be.t acre. l,3ii bushels and a third premium
10 4. Hart for n crop Of $50 bushels per
acre.
Mr.. J. Winnie Of Bethlehem, Albany co,
saws the CuItirator, secured large crop Ct
carrots by the following treatment He took
about fve-eighths Of acre, plowed az
early in spring as possible, turning III dress
ing Of manure from the barn-yard. Ia May
it was thoroughly worked with cultvator.
marked into rows thirteen inches apart and
sown with the long Orange Carrot. ~
soon as the plants were in sight little plas-
ter was 7prinklcd along the rows, which IL
addition to its fertilizing effect, was great
Ie III IN q w.
They received two more hoeings and weed
ines. bat no other extra care. The product
of the ground cultivated was 40 bushels.
These examples will serve to show what
NAV be done in carrot raising. The first, 1t
is true, were pgizc crops, but the lesson they
teach Is none the less valuable on that ac-
count; thcy tell Us what high culture will
accomplish Even larger crops than these
have been raised on a small scale.
Sod ground, MANFRED and turued under
ten or eleven inches deep and finely rulver-
lied, makes an excellent preparation for
carrots. or roots If any kind. The seed Of
the carrot or parsnip should be OF the last
wears Growth, as old seed does not vegetate
freely. Three, or three and Il half pounds
of seed are required per acre. 1t should be
soaked in water for IS hours, then rolled in
plaster. or IN dry sifted ashes, until the seeds
ecparatc freely. The rows or drills may
be fourtoen inches to three feet apart. ac-
crrlling to the mode of culture to be adopted
Where machine for sowing is not to be
had, slight dlills may he made with the hoe,
or the corner of piece OF acantling, the
seed dropped from the hand and covered by
running a forked astridc the dr.ll~, If the
seed is prepared above, and covered not
more than half an inch with fine earth, II
will be up in three days Of warm weather,
As soon as the plant can lie readily seen. the
ground should be dressed out and kept clean
during the season. The plants should be STA
inches apart in the rows.