198 Cultivation of Arable Land. Carrots Seed Time, $c. offering of, 



fionally made ufe of for this purpofe ; but the two firft are probably the moft pro 

 per, as being the moft nearly of the weight of the feed. Some cultivators, how 

 ever, think that it may be fown more evenly without any of thefe matters being 

 incorporated with it, by only being well rubbed and pafled through a fieve, to 

 feparate it perfectly, after having been well dried in the fun.* 



The proportion of feed that is made ufe of varies coniiderably among different 

 cultivators ; but from four or five to fix pounds, when fown in a broadcaft method, 

 may in general be the moft fuitable quantity, according as the land recedes from 

 a fandy quality .f But where the drill plan by a machine is followed, two pounds 

 lo the acre are faid to be fully fufficient.J 



The period of putting this fort of feed info the foil is generally about the mid 

 dle of March ; but it mould not on any account be protracted later than the 

 beginning of April. It may, however, be put in much earlier, when the land is 

 in a ftate of preparation for it, without any danger being apprehended from the 

 feafon. 



Method of Sowing. The moft common practice in putting carrot crops into 

 the ground is that of the hand or broadcaft method, the feed being difperfed as 

 evenly as poflible over the land, after the furface has been reduced to a very fine 

 ftate of pulverifation by harrowing, in order to provide a fuitable bed for it to ve 

 getate in ; being then covered in by means of a light harrow. As the feed of 

 the carrot is not of a nature to be depofited with much regularity by the drill, 

 and as the young, plants can be eafily fet out to proper diftances in the operation 

 of hoeing, this is probably the moft appropriate method of putting fuch fort of 

 feed into the ground. And an additional proof of it is indeed found, in its being 

 that which is almoft univerfally adopted in thofe diftricts where carrot hufbandry 

 is practifed to the greateft extent. || 



With the view of having the after-culture of the crops more perfectly per 

 formed, and at the fame time to fave the great expence of hand labour in hoeing 

 the crop, the drill method has, however, been attempted by fome cultivators, 

 but we believe without complete fuccefs. The work is finifhed in equi-diftant 

 rows at the diftance of from twelve to fifteen or eighteen inches from each other, 

 according to the mode of hoeing that is practifed. In this bufinefs fome cultiva 

 tors do not make ufe of drill-machines, but ftrike the land into fmall furrows by 

 hoes or other implements contrived for the purpofe, a.id then caft the feed over 



* Annals of Agriculture. t Corrected Report of Suffolk. 



J Amos, on Drill Hufbandry. || Ibid. 



