OF CROPS USUALLY CULTIVATED. 305 



to Admiral Elliot of Mount Teviot, in Roxburghshire, and 

 to General Robertson of Lawers in Perthshire. 



In the course of twenty-seven years' experience in the 

 culture of carrots, he has found all kinds of soil nearly 

 equally good for raising that root, provided it was old, well- 

 fertilized land. Such he always chose out of the green crop 

 or fallow plot, and the extent of ground he destined for car- 

 rots, was never less than three or four acres, and sometimes 

 more. 



The crop which preceded them was generally oats, for 

 several reasons, 1. The carrots formed a part of the same 

 field with other green crops ; and, 2. They were more cer- 

 tain not to be cut down, or injured by the worm, when 

 they were taken after a corn crop, than after the ley or 

 grass one. 



The ground was turned by means of a trench-ploughing, 

 as soon after harvest as the oats were carried off the field, 

 and lay in that state till the end of February: then it was 

 worked with the plough and harrows to a loose mould, and 

 was afterwards formed into ridges, 30 inches wide, and 

 from 16 to 18 deep. These were formed by going twice 

 round in the same direction somewhat similar to trench- 

 ploughing, which raises the top to the above height from 

 the bottom : by this method all the surface mould is accu- 

 mulated. 



The manure Mr Scott used for the first seventeen years, 

 was rotted dung, turned over and prepared for the purpose j 

 but since that period, he has always preferred a well-pre- 

 pared compost of peat-moss and dung. About ten tons or 

 double cart-loads were given per English acre, regularly 

 spread in the bottom of the drills. In doing this, care 

 should be taken, not to break down the ridges ; for if this 

 is done, the dung may be left too near the top of the ridges 

 or surface, and the carrots would grow short, and full of 



VOL. j. w 



