79 



cows, turnips have been the most valuable crops raised 

 in the neighbourhood of Edinburgh, and that thej have 

 sometimes sold so high, as from L. 30 to L. 36 per Scotch 

 acre. 



9. Carrots. 



This species of crop is not so much cultivated in 

 Scotland as it ought to be. Its culture seems to be at- 

 tended with no more difficulty than that of cabbage, po- 

 tatoes, or turnip?, and if properly cultivated, with little 

 or perhaps no more expence. An active improver, (Mr 

 Alexander Guthrie,) states, that in his attempts to raise 

 the carrot, with hardly any exception, he has succeed- 

 ed beyond expectation. For working-horses, he knows 

 no food equal to carrot, and of this he has had complete 

 experience. Were the growth of carrots general over 

 the country, and used as food for working-horses, he LJ 

 of opinion that two-thirds of the oats consumed for that 

 purpose might be saved. In years of scarcity, this would 

 be of great advantage to the nation, and a blessing to the 

 poor. 



Mr Buttervvorth informs me, that he has cultivated 

 carrots for seven years upon the same ground, without 

 dunging, and with great success, and had one year twenty 

 acres, which he sold at 5 d. per stone, and two acres and 

 a half for L. 60 Sterling, without being at the expence 

 of raising them. He ploughed the ground in October* 

 in the common and ordinary way ; in March he ploughed 

 it again, in the same manner, and harrowed it well, and 

 where it was sheltered, he sowed the seed immediately 

 after the harrowing, that the weeds might not get start 



* In Suffolk, autumnal ploughing is found much to in- 

 crease weeds, and to add to the expence of hoeing. 



