ROOTS. 179 



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 it 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 de- 

 velopment in the seed. It may remain 10 or 15 days before 

 sowing, and till nearly ready to sprout. It then readily germi- 

 nates, and does not allow the weeds to get the start. The 

 frequent use of the cultivator and entire cleanliness from 

 weeds, are all that is necessary to insure a crop ; unless it 

 be convenient 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 eight for the larger. They are subject to 

 few diseases or enemies, excepting such as can be avoided 

 by judicious selection of soil and careful tillage. 



The harvesting may be facilitated by running a 'plow on 

 one side of the rows, when the roots are easily removed by 

 hand. The tops are then cut and the surface moisture upon 

 the roots dried, when they may be stored like turneps and 

 potatoes. They ought to be kept at as low a temperature as 

 possible, yet above the freezing point. On the approach of 

 warm weather, they will sprout early if left in heaps ; and if 

 important to preserve them longer, the crown should be cut 

 off and the roots spread in a cool, dry place. 



Uses. Carrots are chiefly grown for domestic stock. 

 Horses thrive remarkably on them, and some judicious 

 farmers feed them as a substitute for oats. But their intrin- 

 sic value in weight, for their fat and flesh-forming properties, 

 is less, in the proportion of about five to one. For their 

 medicinal properties, however, and the healthful effects re- 

 sulting from their regular, but moderate use, they would be 

 advantageously purchased at the same price as oats, or even 

 corn, if they could be procured no cheaper. They are good 

 for working cattle, and unsurpassed for milch cows, produ- 

 cing a great flow of milk, and a rich yellow cream. Sheep 

 and swine greedily devour them, and soon fatten, if plenti- 

 fully supplied. The Dutch sometimes grate them, and with 

 sugar and salt, make a pickle for their choicest table butter. 

 They are also employed in distilling. The average yield, 

 on good land, may be estimated at about 300 bushels of the 



