Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1888-07-13
VALUE or CARROTS.
Their Culture as Field Crop Said to BE
Very Profitable,

kept at work, are fed almost exclu-
sively on hay and oats during the
entire year. In towns timothy hay
made from grass that attained its full
growth before it was cut is generally
preferred. If timothy hay can not be
obtained a preference is ordinarily
= shown for hay made from wild prairie
grass that contains rosin-weed. Hay
made from clover, red-top grass, Hun
garian, or millet, is condemned for
various reasons, but chiefly because
they are liable to contain dust that
Injuries horses. Most horse-keepers
prefer oats that have been kept for
several months and have become dry.
Barley is regarded as the grain which
furnishes the best substitute for oats.
There is little objection to wheat ex-
cept its cost. Corn is objected to
because it is "too heating" and for
the additional reason that it tends to
the formation of fat instead of firm
flesh. Similar objections apply to
buckwheat Oil-cake, cotton seed
meal, ensilage, potatoes, pumpkins,
peas, millstuffs and most kinds of
roots are rarely ever fed to horses if
hay and oats can be obtained.
No domestlcated animals have so
small variety of food as horses.
Some declare that their appetite does
not cause them to desire many changes
in diet. The probable reason why
horses are apparently satisfied with
two kinds of food may be found in the
circumstance that they seldom have
an opportunity to taste of any
thing else. Especially is this true of
horses that are continuously kept in
cities. Still, most have observed that
horses have liking for all the kinds
of food that are given to cattle and
sheep. They are very fond of apples,
cabbage and nearly all sorts of garden
vegetables. They are very fond of
sweet substances. They will eat the
leaves of corn, sugar cane and sor-
ghum in preference to hay. In some
European countries where oats and
hay are scarce horses readily eat straw
on which a small amount of cheap mo-
lasses has been thrown. 1t is likely
that horses would eat as many kinds
of food as sheep and cattle do if they
were allowed to follow the leadings of
their own appetite. That they can be
taught to eat great variety of sub
stances is certain.
Carrots have been more generally
fed to horses than almost any kind of
food except hay and oats. Their con-
sumption in this city is increasing quite
rapidly. Many farmers in the vicinity
who cultivate expensive land raise
large quantities of them and haul them
to town, receiving from $40 to $12 per
ton for them. Considerable quantities
| are brought here from Southern Wis
consin in cars. An average crop is
1000 bushels per acre. When the rows
are near together and the hand hoe is
used in cultivation 1900 bushels have
been raised. Persons who have used
carrots extensively for feeding horses
consider three bushels of them as
equal to one bushel of oats. They
do not recommend dispensing with
oats, but reducing the amount about
one-half. They think that the hay and
oats are better digested when the horse
has one ration day of carrots
Horses soon become very fond of car
rots and will not touch hay or oats
when they are in the crib
Carrots do better than turnips and
the large varieties of beets in most
parts of this country for the reason
that their roots grow entirely below
the surface of the ground. while root,
that are exposed to the rays of the sur
become hard and stringy. Unless car
rots are sown on ground that is quite
free from the seed of grass and weed,
there will be great trouble in cultivat-
ing the crop. The seed should be sown
as soon as the soil is in condition t.
work. so that the plants will get an
early start. When small the plants
are delicate and grow slowly. They
can not contend with grass and weeds.
The rows should be straight, and tn,
ground between them should b,
worked as soon as the plants make
their appearance. There is no neces
sity for stirring it deep. All that is
wanted is to keep the weeds from
springing up. The work can be don,
with sharp hoe or a garden
rake. When the plants are about thre,
or four inches high they should b,
thinned out so they will stand about
four inches apart. Every weed in the
row should be removed at this time. A
common table-knife can be used to
good advantage in doing this work.
If the work of thinning and weed
ing is we'll performed but little hand
cultivation will afterward be required.
The plants will grow rapidly after the
weather becomes warm and they have
sufficient space in the rows. The
ground, however, must be kept free
from weeds till it is shaded by the car
rot tops. The long orange variety is
the most uroductiva but 10 J;N;o,l. g.