The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1886-04-15
CARROTS FOR sTocK.
A Crop Which r equires Much Work, But
Pays Well.

Pays Well.
During the past few years there has
been quite large demand for carrots
for feeding to horses in this city and
the demand for them is said to be in
creasing. The proprietors Of omnibus
lines are the most liberal purchasers,
though many are bought by the owners
of dray horses. Farmers in the vicinity
of the city have received during the
past few months ten dollars per ton for
good carrots delivered at stables. Car
load lots raised in Wisconsin have sold
at from six to seven dollars per
ton. As rule parties who buy carrots
do not like to go to the trouble Of
moving them from railway stations to
their stables. The average crop Is about
sixteen tons to the acre, though as high
as twenty tons have been reported.
Farmers should be satisfied with a crop
that pays from one hundred and sixty to
two hundred dollars per acre and the
production of which does not injure the
soil, even if it calls for considerable
hard work. 1t is doubted if the costly
land near large cities can be devotedto
any crop that win pay as well as car
rots. During the season of wedding
and thinning considerable hard works
required, but this can be done by
women and children, whose labor can
be obtained at low rates.
Probably carrots are the most profit
able roots that can be raised for feed
ing stock in most parts of this country.
Our climate is not as favorable as that
of the British islands and some Of the
countries on the continent of Europe
for producing mangels and turnips. AZ
these roots grow mostly out Of ground.
they are likely to become hard and
tough during hot and dry weather.
The yield of them will be small and the
quality poor If a protracted drought
occurs during the summer. Carrots re-
ceive less injury from the sun and the
occurrence of a drought tha6Iebeets and
turnips do, as their roots are entirely
covered by the soil, while their leaves
are close to the surface of the ground.
Mangels and Swedish, or rutabaga turn.
Ups, are SO large that it is generally
necessary to cut them into small pieces
or to pulp them before animals will eat
them. 1t is tedious to do this work BY
hand, or even by the use of q machine
operated by man-power. There are
power machines for cutting and for
pulping these roots, but they are ex.
pensive and are not adapted to the use
of people that keep but few animals
As carrots are smaller and more tender.
horses, cows and sheep can eat them u
they are fed to them as they are taken
from the ground.
Carrots require long time in which
to grow. The seed should be sown ID
May, and as early in the month as the
condition of the ground will I'd
NIT. To get as large crop as
possible the rows should not be more
than two feet apart. This viii allow .
narrow cultivator to pass between
them. About four pounds of seed are
required for an acre. The long orange
variety is the most productive, though
the roots. being quite long, are mo1
easily pulled from the ground. Inc
early French horn, or 'shalf-longstump
root, variety is easy to pull, but is not
as productive. The land intended lol
the production of carrots should DC
fairly dry, deeply plowed and well Ply.
verified. 1t should be rich, but greer
manure or that containing the SEEDS 3
weeds and grass should not be aapplleu
to it. Old and well-rotted stable ma-
Inure is the bestfertilizer. 1t should 3
finely pulverized and well distributes
through the soil. It is well to drop.
few radish, turnip or cabbage SEED y
the row with the carrot seed. iney
will come up in a few days. Marx s ~
rows and allow the ground % -
worked between them. The piahs'
after they have made considerable Ioo =
should be thinned so they will pc TOE !.
five to six inches apart. Chscf0o 4 sh''s''