ROOT CROPS. 211 



July 3, Five hands one-half day weeding and thinning, $4 17 



26, Cultivator drawn by horse, two hours, myself 



and horse, ...... 50 



Aug.l— 15, Three hands thinning and weeding one day, 3 75 

 Nov. 1-7, Digging out and topping, equal to three 



hands two days, . . . . G 00 



Two hands two days, loading carrots in the 



field, 4 00 



$50 54 



Income : — 



21,275 pounds of carrots, sold on the ground for half 



a cent per pound, $106 37 J 



Help for loading was furnished in all cases to those who 

 came after the carrots ; and in the few cases where my team 

 was used for carting, a reasonable rate was charged. My only 

 reason for selling so low as ten dollars per ton was, that it 

 was much cheaper and more convenient to weigh in large quan- 

 tities ; besides, this half acre was not my whole crop — the bal- 

 ance, which was intended for my own stock, not yet being har- 

 vested ; and I had also a large quantity of refuse table vegeta- 

 bles, such as beets, parsnips, turnips, and cabbages, which we 

 expect to store for winter use in the barn cellar. 



I have made no reckoning for use or interest of land ; 

 but against this I put the tops, which are quite valuable for 

 green feed for soiling cattle ; and it was formerly thought that 

 one half the value of the manure was left for future crops. I 

 can only say, in answer to this, that I would gladly give the use 

 of all my land for at least one year, the tenant agreeing to 

 cultivate it all to carrots as well as the above-described was. 



Deep and clean culture, and doing all the work while 

 the sun shines, are the chief requisites for profitable carrot 

 growing. My expenses have been somewhat increased the 

 present year by the higher rates demanded for field labor. I 

 seldom, if ever, worked my usual farm laborers on this crop, 

 other than carting manure and ploughing, fitting the ground, 

 sowing the seed, and assisting at harvest. Young and cheap 

 help, good for nothing in haying, offer their services for tend- 



