The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1886-06-05
CARROTS FOR STOCK.
A Crop Which II equires Much Work, Buf
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 a rule parties who buy carrots
do not like to 60 to the trouble Of
moving them from railway stations to
their stables. The average cropis 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 devoted to
any crop that will spay< as we}t aslearY
rots. Dnring the Season of = weetfing
and thinning considerable hard work is
required, but this can lbeeklone by
women and children. whose labor can
be obtained ut lowerates.- "a
Probablyscarrots are the most profit
able roots thsf can be raised fbr feed
ing stockin Most parts-6f this country
Our climate is not as favorable as that
of the British Islands and some. Of the
countriessou the continent of Europe
for producing mangels andturnips. As
these roots grow mostly cut of ground,
they are likely to become. hard and
tough during hot and dry weather,
The Weld 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 ana the
occurrence of a dfonght. than bcets and
turnips do. as their roots arc entirely,
covered by the soil, Wills, their Leaves
are close to the surface Of the ground
Mangels andSwedisis, ~ futabagS turn
ips. arc--soz large fhattit. is generally
necessary to cut them Into Small pieces.
or to pulp them before animals Will eat
them. 1t tedious to iosthis Work Nv
hand. or even by the Use of 'airn#elfine
operated by man-power, There rare
power machines for. 'cnttins q and fol
pulping these roots. but they aleI ey
pensiye and are not adapted to the use
of people that keep but a few animals
As carrots are smalicrand more tender.
horses, COWS and sheep can eat them 4
they are Ted to them as they are takep
from the ground. frTrTfl~ q TFfF
Carrots require long time in which
to grow. Theyseed should be sown In
Nav. and as early i'm the month as the
condition Of the ground will adj
nit. To get as large crop as
possible the rows should not be more
than two feet apart. This will allow a
narrow cultivator to pass between
them. About four pounds of seed are
required for an acre. lifelong orange
variety is the most productive, though
the roots, being quite long. are not
easily pdlled from the ground. The
early French horn, or ''half.long stump
root, variety is easy to pull, but is not
rs prodnctive The land intended for
the production of carrots should be
fairly dry. deeply plowedand well pull
verified. 1t should be rich. but green
manure or that containing the seeds of
weeds and grass should not be applied
to it. Old and well-rotted stable 1na-
nure is the best fertilizer. 1t should be
finely puiverized and well distributed
through. the soil. 1t is well to drop a
few radish, turnip or cabbage seed in
the row with the carrot seed. They
will cons up in . few days! Mark the
rows ana allow the ground TO be
worked between athefnA@ Tho plants.
after they have made considerable root,
should be thinned so they will be from
five to six inches apart.-Chicago Times.