CARDOONS 99 



attached, is driven into the ground near the plant. 

 The string is then wound round and round the plant, 

 pulling the spiny leaves together into a bundle ; or, 

 " three sticks are used, one of them short, and 

 connected with the other two by strong twine. The 

 workman, standing at a safe distance, pushes the two 

 handles under the plant, and then going to the 

 other side and seizing them, soon gathers up the 

 prickly leaves. Another workman then ties it up in 

 three places, and straw is placed round and tied so 

 as quite to exclude the light. In three weeks the 

 vegetable is as well blanched and as tender as could 

 be desired. To blanch the Cardoon properly and 

 render the leaves perfectly tender, it should be de- 

 prived of light and air for at least three weeks. It is 

 then cut just below the surface of the earth, and 

 divested of its straw covering ; the withered leaves 

 are sliced off and the root trimmed up neatly " 

 (Robinson) . 



This work is done during October. If it is desired 

 to preserve Cardoons, the stems are tied up as described, 

 the entire plant is taken up carefully with a ball of 

 soil round the roots, and is plunged in well-decayed 

 manure or leaf mould in a dark cellar free from frost. 



CARROTS 



The Carrot (Daucus Carota) is brought to great 

 perfection in French gardens, and vast quantities of 

 juicy, tender roots are grown year after year. The 

 smaller-rooted varieties are preferred especially by 

 intensive growers, as they are easily forced, are far 

 superior to the larger kinds, and find a more ready 



