Vegetable Growing for Market 



95 



summers, when the roots will begin to crack and split owing to the ab- 

 sence of moisture in the upper layer of soil. 



For early crops the Shorthorn and stump-rooted varieties, like " Early 

 Shorthorn" (lag. 467), "Early Market", "Early Nantes", &:c., may be sown 

 in drills about 6 in. apart in February on warm, sheltered borders, after- 

 wards thinning the young plants out to 3 or 4 in. apart. In this way over 

 300,000 plants would go to the acre. The crops should be cleared by the 

 end of May or early in June. Maincrop varieties, like "James's Inter- 

 mediate Scarlet" (fig. 468), &c., are sown from March to the end of April, 

 and still later the "Long Surrey 

 Red", but more space is required 

 for these. About 20 tons of carrots 

 may be secured from an acre of 

 land under ordinary methods at a 

 cost of about 10 per acre, but with 

 more intensive methods as much 



Fig. 467. Carrot Early Shorthorn 



Fig. 468.- Carrot James's Intermediate 



as 40 tons may be looked for, even with intermediate varieties. It will 

 pay to use the hoe early in the season, not only to keep weeds down, but 

 also to encourage quicker and more succulent growth, and to liberate the 

 supplies of potash, phosphoric acid, and lime, which are taken up so largely 

 from the soil. 



Where large supplies are grown for winter use it is usual to store the 

 roots in the same way as Beetroot, in clamps, from which they may be 

 drawn as required. 



Carrots are often attacked in badly cultivated soil by w T ireworms, 

 leather-jacket grubs, &c., which infest the roots and destroy them. Such 

 ground pests are best got rid of by deep cultivation and the aid of birds, 

 and by dressing the soil a few weeks in advance of sowing with kainit 

 at the rate of 4 or 5 cwt. to the acre. The Carrot Aphis is likely to be 

 troublesome in weedy soils, and may be checked to some extent by the 



