CHAPTER V. 



ON FORCING THE CARROT AND FRENCH BEANS. 



THE CAREOT. 



EARLY and young Carrots are sought for and are 

 thought much of, and deservedly so ; for, let old Carrots 

 be what they may, they have lost that delicious and 

 fine flavour which they had when as large as the finger, 

 as well as the fine texture they then possessed. To 

 get very early Carrots, some means must be devised 

 beyond that of a warm border in the open ground. 

 The same class of frame as I recommend for early Peas 

 (fig. 30) may be used, but some preparation of rather 

 a different kind must be resorted to. 



A moderate-sized bed must be made with leaves, 

 tan, or cocoa-nut refuse fibre. Leaves raked up in 

 November are as good as anything for forcing Carrots. 

 The next best material is tan, which suits the Carrot 

 well, and a bed made with it, two feet and a half thick, 

 well trodden down as you proceed, will last in a nice 

 heat as long as it may be required. The bed may be 

 made in December, but before sowing the seed some 

 four or five inches of fine light soil must be put over 

 it, in which the seed should be sown. It will be a good 

 plan to put five or six inches of old tan over the new 

 tan first, and then the fine earth, for I find that new 



N 



