148 



CULTIVATION OF PLANTS. 



operation must be repeated, and again, if it be necessary, as no weeds should 

 be suffered to grow among the crop. 



By the use of the drill and the weeding-plough, it is believed that one-half 01 

 the labour usually bestowed would be saved. 



Onions have been successfully cultivated in light, black, swampy grounds, 

 when sufficiently dry, by small open ditches about three rods apart. 



V. THE CARROT. 



THIS valuable root is a biennial plant, and is found native in 

 many parts of the world. Of the cultivated carrot there are 

 many sorts distinguished by their colour, size and form. These 

 have not been derived from the wild plant of northern Europe, 

 which no cultivation has hitherto been able to change. It is 

 probably a native of the south of Europe. It has been long 

 cultivated in gardens, as an excellent vegetable. But its great 

 value as food for cattle, was not known until a few years past, 

 and, consequently, its introduction as a field crop is of recent 

 origin. 



Soil. The carrot requires a mellow soil, into which, as it 

 is a tap root, it can penetrate freely and deeply; it therefore 

 prefers the sandy and rejects the stiff clays. A fertile sand, a 

 sandy loam, a dry warm loam, or a fertile gravelly loam, are 

 each suitable for the production of a good crop, if properly 

 prepared, well manured, and carefully attended to. The ground 

 ought to be ploughed as deep as possible well pulverized, and 

 all weeds, stones, and other obstructions removed. If the field 

 should receive a ploughing the preceding fall, it will be all the 

 better for it, as it will be pulverized by the frosts of winter. 



Manure, according to some, should not be given to carrots 

 the year they are sown, from an apprehension that when the 

 roots meet with it, they become forked, scabbed and wormy.* 

 This objection, however, will apply only to manures applied 

 in an impregnated state- a liberal application of manure is 

 essential to a good crop; but it should be well rotted and made 

 very fine, so as to offer no obstruction to the downward growth 

 of the plant. If it meets with such obstruction, the root will 

 divide and become forked. 



Sowing the seed is performed in three ways. 1. The land 

 may be formed into drills, and the seed sown on the top. 2. 

 In rows, but without being on raised drills. 3. Broadcast. 

 Of these three methods, the best under ordinary circumstances 

 is that of rows, either on a raised or flat surface, and these rows 

 may either have a narrow interval, as twelve or fifteen inches>- 



* LOUDON, page 8G2. Farmers' Assistant, page 43. 



