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CARROTS. 

 Sow in the open where the crop is to grow. Carrots require a 

 good light soil which has been previously well dug and manured. 

 The seed is sown either broadcast on a bed, or in drills, but the 

 latter is the preferable method as the young plants can be thinned 

 more uniformly. A distance of 12 inches between the rows and 

 6 inches from plant to plant is generally allowed. The seedlings 

 are usually thinned twice ; the first thinning when they are quite 

 young, leaving a space of 3 inches between the plants in the row ; 

 a second thinning takes place when the roots are small but of 

 edible size, when every second plant should be pulled to allow the 

 requisite space between those that are left to grow. 



Quantity of Seed. — The quantity of seed required to sow a drill 

 one chain in length, or a bed about 16 feet by 4 feet marked off 

 in drills, is one ounce. On account of the bristles on carrot seed 

 it is somewhat difficult to sow with regularity ; it is usual, therefore, 

 to mix the seed with fine sand or sifted dry earth and sow the 

 mi.xture. 



Varieties. — The short-rooted kinds are worth a trial : — Early 

 Short Horn, Carter's Improved Early Horn, Carter's Summer Favourite, 

 Danvers' Early French Forcing, Early Scarlet Horn, Half-long Red, 

 Extra Early Forcing, Nantes. 



Prices of seed. — English, 4d. to 1/6 per ounce ; American, 10 to 

 25 cents per ounce. 



CUCUMBERS. 



The American method of cultivation is to plant in hills about 4 

 feet apart each way, in rich sandy soil. The hills are previously 

 prepared by thoroughly mixing with the soil of each a good 

 shovelful of well rotted manure. The seeds are planted in the hill, 

 and three or four strong plants allowed to each. When the fruit 

 is in fit condition it is gathered whether required for use or not, 

 as if allowed to ripen it destroys the productiveness of the plants. 

 The plants should always have plenty of moisture regularly 

 supplied during growth. 



In one or two counties in England, the soil and climate of which 

 seem unusually well adapted to the growth of cucumbers, large 

 quantities are grown in the open air for the London markets ; from 

 such sources there are said to be sent not less than 600 tons a 

 week during the cucumber season, and of these lOO tons have been 

 known to be sent to Convent Garden in a single day. The seed 

 is sown where the plants are intended to grow, two feet apart in 

 the rows, and the rows four feet asunder. They soon push into 

 active growth and cover the ground with vines, which spread in 

 all directions, and come into bearing. During their growth weed- 

 ing and thinning their superfluous shoots are well attended to, and 

 in the fruiting season, fruit from 10 to 12 inches in length green 

 and solid though sometimes unshapely, is continually being cut. 



Seed required. — One ounce of seed will plant 50 hills. The seeds 

 should be soaked in luke-warm water for a few hours before 

 planting, and only those that sink to the bottom of the vessel 



