Several varieties are 'cultivated, particularly the Orange carrot, with a large long root, of an orange-yellow colour ; the Early horn and the Late horn carrot, of both which the roots are short and comparatively small ; and the Red or field carrot, which acquires a large size.
320 Carrots arc sown at two or three different seasons. The first sowing is made as early perhaps as new-year's day, or at any rate before the first of February, on a warm border, or in front of a 1•ot-house. Some employ a gentle hot-hed for this first crop ; while others only hoop over the border, and cover it with mats during frost. The main crop of carrots is put in in March or April ; and in June or July a small bed is sown, to afford young carrots in the autumn months. In some places a sowing is made a month later, to remain over winter, and afford young car rots in the following spring. These, however, often prove stringy, but they arc useful in flavouring soups. In light early soils, it is better that the principal crop should not bo sown sooner than the end of April or beginning of May; for in this way the attacks of many larv? are avoided. For the early crops the horn carrot is best ; for the principal crops, the orange variety is preferred; but the red is also much cultivated.
The seeds having many forked hairs on their borders, by which they adhere together, arc rubbed between the hands with some dry sand, so as to separate them: On account of their lightness, e calm day must be chosen for sowing ; and the seeds should be trod in before raking. They are sown either at broad-cast, or in drills a foot apart. When the plants come up, several successive hocings are given ; at first with a three inch, and latterly with a six inch hoe The plants are thinned out, either by drawing young car rots for use, or by hoeing, till they stand eight or ten inches from each other, if sown by broad-cast, or six or seven inches in line. The hoeing is either performed only in showery weather, or a watering is regularly given after the operation, in order to settle the earth about the roots of the plants left.
Carrots thrive best in light ground, with a mixture of sand. It should be delved very deep, or even trenched, and at the same time well broken with the spade. If the soil be naturally shallow, the late horn carrot is to be pre ferred to the orange or red. When manure is added to
carrot ground, it should be buried deep, so that the roots may not reach it, else they are apt to become forked and diseased. In general it is best to make carrots the second crop after manuring, From the Scottish Horticultural Memoirs, however, (vol. i. p. 129.) we learn that pigeons' dung, one of the hottest manures, far from injuring carrots, promotes their health,by preventing the attacks of vat ious 'arm.
A considerable quantity of carrot-seed, for the supply of the London seedsmen, is raised near Wethersfield in Es sex ; but much is imported from Holland. Cautious gar deners generally prove this and some other kinds of seeds, such as onions, before sowing. This is easily done by putting a sprinkling in a pot, and placing it under a hot-bed frame, or in a forcing-house. Other gardeners transplant a few good roots, and raise their own seed : in this case it is bet ter to gather it only from the principal umbel, which is likely not only to afford the ripest and largest seed, but the most vigorous plants.
321. Carrots are taken up at the approach of winter, cleaned, and stored among sand. They may be built very firm, by laying them heads and tails alternately. and park ing with sand. In this way, if frost be excluded from the sto•e-house, they keep perfectly well till March or A of the following year. Some persons insist that the tops should be entirely cut off at the time of storing, so as ef fectually to prevent their growing ; while others wish to preserve the capability of vegetation, though certanny nut to encourage the tendency to grow.
Carrots are now cultivated on an extensive scale in the field. They are excellent for milch cows for horses ; so that the overplus of a garden may always be turned to good account.
From old Parkinson we learn, that carrot leaves were in his day thought so ornamental that ladies wore them in place of feathers. It must be confessed that the leaves are beautiful. If during winter a large root he cut over about three, or four inches from the top, and be placed in a shallow vessel with water, over the chimney-piece, young and delicate leaves unfold themselves all around, produc ing a very pretty appearance, enhanced no doubt by the tzeneral deadness of that season of the year.