264 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



men, he desired further information, especially from such farm- 

 ers and others as had fairly and largely tried the carrot experi- 

 ment. As to men, I know several who cannot, with health, eat 

 carrots, and I have heard of it as a quite common aflair. Eut 

 let us have proof, beyond a doubt, of the precise value of the 

 carrot crop for stock and men, before we substitute oats and 

 grains to great extent. I beg to be excused for venturing to 

 suggest doubts; but surely we ought, if possible, to farm on the 

 most certain principles. 



Professor Mapes — My own experience is favorable to the use 

 of carrots, in very considerable proportions, with oats, hay, &c., 

 and I have many correspondents whose extensive experiments 

 agree with mine as to the strength, health, fine coat of cattle and 

 horses, and as to the milk of the cows fed liberally with carrots, 

 grain and hay. I know that these facts have become pretty 

 generally known, and that the consumption of carrots has greatly 

 iucreased. 



Dr. Field, of Brooklyn, remarked that Mr. Bennet, of Brook- 

 lyn, livery stabler on an extensive plan, has given his horses a 

 fair and full trial of the carrots, that he has made contracts with 

 farmers to supply him this fall with several hundred bushels of 

 carrots for his horses. 



As to taking oft' from fruit trees their excess of flowers and 

 young fruits, how can it be done best? 



The Chairman, Mr. Lawton, wished, that the carrot crop be 

 considered — the question as to moistening the seed before plant- 

 ing, &c. 



Prof. Mapes — In relation to the use of carrots, we have re- 

 ports from horse-feeders to great extent that one-half oats were 

 better than all oats. I never believed that a bushel of carrots 

 had as much nutriment as a bushel of oats. I have no doubt 

 that carrots do tend to gelatinize the food in the stomach, and 

 render it more digestible. With carrots for cows, as good milk 

 and butter can be obtained in winter as summer. Experience in 

 feeding horses with carrots has largely increased the consump- 

 tion. Mr. Field, a livery stable keeper in Brooklyn, has become 

 so convinced of the value of carrots, that he has engaged a far- 

 mer to raise four hundred bushels of carrots for his use next 

 winter. My experiments in carrot crop are planting but half an 

 inch deep, long radishes with the seed. At the time of planting 

 there must be, for success, a fair amount of moisture. I plant in 

 rows. The radishes show themselves soon, and thus enable me 



