Cultivation of Carrots

Horowhenua Chronicle, 7 November 1913, Page 4

Cultivation of Carrots

it is often said that this prolific and useful crop is not grown so extensively as might be with advantage. It resembles in composition the turnip and the mangold, but is much more concentrated than the former, as it contains •from L-l: to '20 per cent of: dry nutritive mutter against about 10 per cent in the turnip.

It flourishes best in deep loamy soil not too wet, or the carrots are liable to rot, and not very dry or (he growth of the root is cramped. The soil must be deeply cultivated to permit (he long, penetrating root full power of development. The ground should be well manured: half-roiled stable manure, applied'.iu the autumn at the rate of twenty loads to the acre, is a good preparation. The application should lie deferred until the spring, as, if so, it cannot exercise its full effect, and its fertilising power is apt io run into the top instead of the roots indeed, it is considered by many experienced growers that (he best plan is to apply the dung to the previous crop.

The requirements of the carrots for a liberal supply of plant food are so great that, in addition to the dung it can utilise with advantage a supplementary dressing of readily soluble chemical fertilisers. The application of •'lewt superplmsphntes, 20 per cent soluble, iind '.cwl of sulphate of potash, applied about a week before Ihe seeds are sown, followed hy Icwl of a concentrated, nitrogenous fertiliser when the plant's appear above the '.''round, can be recommended. The seed should be put in as eorly as circumstances are favourable for the operation : if the ground Is clear of weeds, directly the soil permits :■ if sullied io weeds, it may be preferable to let the weeds show and be exterminated befoi , " drilliiur the seeds.

Potash in a soluble form as kai.ni! or sulphate'of potash appear-' io be the dominant constituent of the crop, as we find that. lool<in" at the five years' average, the use of potash on the plots receivin ,, phosphates and ?cwl nitrate per

isere resulted in an average increase of near'lv 21 tons of carrel-:

per acre