SECRETARY'S REPORT. 97 



ing, tliin out where too thick, but thin sparinj^ly the first time ; and 

 at tlie second hoeing, thin froiu nine to twelve inches distance 

 between plants ; then hoe the third thne, and more, if necessary. 

 Carrots and beets I sow in drills, eighteen to twenty inches opart, 

 and if kept clean from weeds, will bear to be a little thicker in tlie 

 row. Tlie ground should be well dressed with fine manure, and 

 occasionnlly a sprinkling of ashes and ph\stcr mixed, during the fore 

 part of the season." 



D. Notes, Norway. 



" I am not prepared to -say what kind of roots are best for field 

 culture. Carrots are raised more extensively in this town than any 

 other root, car loads of Avhich were sent to the Kennebec last year 

 for the market. On the light sandy soils of the sea-board, they 

 are probably better adapted to field culture than any other root ; but 

 on less porous soils, the i-utabaga is successfully cultivated, though 

 it probably w^ould not yield so many tons to the acre as the carrot. 

 I think a ton of rutabagas are actually worth as much as a ton and 

 a half of carrots. Roots are no doubt valuable for neat cattle in 

 winter, but carrots have been over-rated in this vicinity, while tur- 

 nips (and perhaps parsnips) have been too much neglected." 



James W. Ambrose, Wells. 



" Beets are, in my opinion, decidedly the most profitable. I havo 

 tried them all. I can grow one-third more beets at the same cost 

 than carrots." 



Aaron Hoag, Gardiner. 



"Turnips first, carrots second, beets third. Modes of culture 

 similar fur all. Plow deep, say twelve or fourteen inches ; harrow, 

 and if lumpy, roll, and spread on six to eight cords of old stable 

 manure to the acre; plow again eight or ten inches deep, harrow 

 well, then furrow for the rows two feet apart, as deep as possible. 

 Strew alono; in the bottom of the furrow, ei^ht cords of old well 

 rotted manure to the acre. Fill up the furrow with a hoe, pulverize 

 the soil well, so that no hard lumps go into the furrow. Kidge up 

 four or five inches above the surface; then sow on the top of the 

 ridge; if sowed by hand, make a little trench along on the ridge 

 before sowing, sow in the trench, cover one inch deep, hoe often, and 

 thin to a proper distance. One-half less dressing, and one-half of 

 the earth on top of the dressing, in the furrow, will be right for 

 turnips. Feed carrots to hogs from harvest time to the last of May. 

 Feed carrots and beets to milch cows throuo;h the winter season. 

 Feed turnips to young stock while using coarse or rough fodder; the 

 poorer the fodder the more turnips." 



J. Davis, Webster. 



"I think turnips the best fiehl crop, although carrots might do as 

 "well. I have never cultivated them as a field crop. They do well 



7 



