THE MAORI MESSENGER. Auckland, August 15, 1850.

Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume 2, Issue 43, 15 August 1850, Page 2

THE MAORI MESSENGER. Auckland, August 15, 1850.

The last ship of the season, the Sarah Scott, sailed for California on Saturday. She carries a full cargo, by far the largest portion of which consists of the produce of New Zealand. ]}••• reft'ience to the Shipping List it will he seen that, exclusive < f thi.iyiiino spars, thirty-eight pieces of limber, anil forty-three tons of lire-wood, there were a hundred nild sixty-two trusses ol hay, weighing seven ami twenty ions two thousand two hundred and forty-six I uxes, containing one hundred tens of potatoes; a small quantity—five and iwenty hundred weight—of ouiong; two to! s of lurcips; anil thirty-five casks, containing two tons and a quarter of carrots. We ili'em it incumbent to direct csp. cial attention to these articles of export — not because of the quantities shipped, but because they are all of them most desirable for shipment, easily cultivable, easily portable, and most like'v to return a handsome profit for the c'tre bestowed upon their growth. W'tj trust, therefore, that when the next shipping season shall cume round, that D.-.i 'iis and carrots whk-h this year have been exported by hundred weights, will thou disappear by tons. Now is the time to enable yon to do so ; and that you -lav be put ill possession of the best means of preparing the ground for the c!ilti v a'.ion of these several vegetables, . v>u k'i..|| fernish you with instructions gained from the experience of the best and ir.ost sic. ehsful i,f tbc l£ngli.sh far mors, to fae.liiato on in your industrial jn'ogrcsi- oi, the road to riches.' As vii«; proper season for sowing the carrot is close at hand, we dedicate a small portion of our present space to eoiididerntio'. of t'. value and benefits of that prfdii'tive vegi-t-.ble. The r'imatu of New '/< ■■ 'and is peculiarly f.' orutilc to the gio'.wh of the carrot, and many of the soils, espedally those around Auckland, are admirably adapted for such species of cultivation. According to the concurring testimony ol' every writer, llic car-

lot is most productive when grown upon a light loam moderately inclining towards sandy. The ground requires to be well stirred- It" ploughed, three ploughings are necessary, the common plough being followed by the trench plough, so that the soil may bo turned up to a d'-pth of from twelve to sixteen inches The ground must then be carefully harrowed, well pulverised, and ploughed crossways, and the furrows having been once more broken down, the plough must make its last impression to prepuie for s iwing. W here spade husbandry is employed, the ground must be dug to a depth of at least fifteen inches, and tho clods must he bioken up fine and powdery, so that tho soil may be rendered loose, porous, and easi ! y penetra'-le by the strong downward root. Manure must be used sparing'}', and spread at a distance of »ome lour or six inches from the surface. If placed too deep the roots arc apt to become forked and horny. Carrols are most commonly sown broadcast, from six to ten pounds of seed being required for an acre. .Mr. lJurrows, one of the most ski ! ful of the Hngli-li cultivators, sowed ten pounds, and this is the iiinnucr in which he prepared his seed. "Having weighed the quantity of seed to be sown, an l collected sand or line mould, in the proportion of about two bushels to an acre, I mix the seed with the sand or mould, light or ten pounds to

every two busliels, and this is done about a fortnight or three wicks before tire time I intend sowing ; takiiifv (■•••re to have die heaps turned over every day, spi inkling the outside of them with water each lime of turning over, that every |>art of the sand heaps may be equally liiois:, and that vegetation may take plate alike throughout I have great advan'agc in preparing the seed so long beforehand; it is by this means in a slate of forward vegetation, therefore lies hut a short lime in the ground, and by quickly appearing above the ground is more able to contend with those iiumeinus tribes of weeds ill the soil, wh se seeds are of quicker vegetation.'* In adopting su;h n preparation of seed for this countiy, it would, perhaps, be well to bear in mind how much mo-e rapid is vegeiation in New Zealand-than in England. Probably therefore, if mixed eight or ten days before sowing the object intended by i\lr. Burrows would be ell'ectually attained. The af.er culture of the carrot is confined t ) hoeing an 1 weeding. Its produce is estimated at from 350 to 500 bushels per acre ; but Harrow's crops exceeded 800 bushels per acre. This last would, we imagine, be somewhere about 4 or 5 and twenty ton* to the acre. There is, however, a species of white carrots, ndnplcd for feeding cattle grown extensively on the heavy clay soil 3 of Sussex, by Sir Charles But roll and the late Lard ligrcmont, which Iris produced from fifty to seventy tons per acre. The seed of this invaluable carrot is to be obtained, we believe, in Van Dieinen's Land. We, at least, sowed u small quantity, transmilted to ourselies from Sussex, a mouth or two btfore leaving that island.

In ft future number wc may perhaps have more to say on this subject, for the present we conclude by giving you the following fuels as to tlie great benefits to be derived from culture of the rarrot. " Uo>idcs their use as human food, carrots arc in some places grown largely for the consummation of stock, especially for horses. Ii is adinned that cattle which have once tasted these, usually prefer them so much to turnips as with difficulty to be made lo return to the latter. The milk of cows fed on carrots never acquires any unpleasant flavour, while at the same ;ime the quartity produced is increased. Calves thrive admirably, and bu'locfcs are quickly fattened on this food. Carrots are equally benefivial as nourishment for sheep, and are devoured willi avi-lity by swine. In the short space of ten days a lean hog was fattened by these mots, having consumed during that period one hundred and niiKty six pounds. Its fat proved very lino, white and linn, ail I did not waste in the dressing. Horses receiving no other sustenance perform their wi-rk as usu.il without any diminution ol their sleek-

ness. The r(lii a.y of tluse n ois in presi i"i jng and ri st ring the wind of heroes had it is sai !, been partiahy known in Siitfo'k, wheie canorsaiv administered ns n secret specific for the c mplaint, long previously to their being co.nnion'y ;11>|> li<( I n> food for hoisc-s. These reots may with a Iviin'age also Le given to pnilu-y. In severe winters they have been foil i d of great utilitv in the presc:»ation of e'eer; uu<l they"have been str-ngly recommended ns wholesome anil cheap 11011 rishuieiit for do<rs. At l'ai linglon, in Yorkshire, the stock of u ('arm, consisting of twenty working horses, four bullocks, and six milch tviws, were f d from the end of to the beginning of A lav on the i-airtrts proiinceii from three acres of land. The animals during (h wir-le of that period, lived roots >•>itii tic addition of on y a veiy saaill <1 ianlry ■ f ha\, and lliiri> hogs ••■vie fattened the lel'usc left by the i alt o." It is to be observed that in feeding ai iiim!s witii rnrrots, the ste T iniin _• or boiling requisite in the ease of pot : '.t -S,is a labour torally unnecessary. Great eaie must i.e observed with respeel to the 3; ed, whieh should be new. It will not vegetate after he -ee.'nid year.