152 AMERICAN AGRICULTURE. 



Indian corn,wliich under ordinary circumstances,always gives 

 a certain and highly remunerating return. It may sometimes 

 however take the place of corn with advantage, and the tur- 

 nip or some of the other roots should always occupy a con- 

 spicuous place in the change of winter food for cattle and 

 sheep. 



THE CARROT (Daucus carota) 



Is one of our most valuable roots. It is a hardy, easy 

 cultivated plant, and grows in almost every soil, and is next 

 to the potato in its nutritive properties. 



THE SOIL which best suits it is a fertile sand or light loam, 

 but it will grow on such as are more tenacious if well drain- 

 ed, and deeply worked. The success of this and the parsnep 

 depends much on the depth to which their roots can reach. 

 Deep spading or subsoil plowing is therefore indispensable to 

 secure lar.'je crops, and nearly all kinds of manure are equal- 

 ly suited for their food if well rotted. The ground should be 

 thoroughly pulverized. 



THE VARIETIES chiefly used for field culture are the long 

 red, the o.*ange, and white Belgian. The last under favor- 

 able circumstances, attains huge dimensions, and from its 

 roots grow high out of the ground, it is supposed to draw 

 more of its nourishment from the air, and to exhaust the ground 

 less, while it is of course more easily harvested. But it is 

 considerably below the others in comparative value. 



PLANTING. The carrot should be sown in drills, 16 to 20 

 inches apart, when the ground has become warm and dry. 

 The seed is best prepared by mixing with fine mold or pou- 

 drette and stirring them well together to break off the fine 

 beards ; then sprinkle with water and allow it to remain in 

 a warm place and occasionally turn it to produce equal 

 development in the seed. It may remain 10 or 15 days be 

 fore sowing till nearly ready to sprout. It then readily ger- 

 minates and does not allow the weeds to get the start. The 

 frequent use of the cultivator and entire cleanliness from weeds 

 is all that is necessary to insure a crop, unless it be con- 

 venient to give it a top dressing of liquid manure, which the 

 Flemings always do, and which no crop better repays. Two 

 pounds of good seed will sow an acre. Any deficiency of 

 plants may be supplied by transplanting in moist weather. 

 Six inches is near enough for the smaller kind to stand, and 8 

 for the larger. They are subject to few diseases or enemies, 



