492 



THE PAKKS AND GAKDENS OF PARIS. [Chap. XXIX. 



The top is greenish and hollow-crowned ; the leaves few and small. This affords 

 a fair supply of fresh Carrots all the year ronnd. Recently, bunches of this variety 

 have made their appearance in Covent Garden Market, but the freshness of such 

 tender roots is sijoiled by their journey from Paris to London. The preceding cut 

 shows the true shape and natural size ; but inferior stocks, producing conical roots 

 neither so succulent nor so early, are often met with. This valuable Carrot 

 ought to be used only for forcing. Sowings should be made on hotbeds having 

 a medium temperature, from November to February, for use from February until 

 May. For early crops sown in warm borders, the Scarlet Horn will be found to 

 be far better adapted. Market-gardenci-s sow the Early French Forcing Carrot 

 in August and September, and after protecting it in winter, sell it in the spring 

 for newly-forced Carrots, to which they bear some similarity after a sharp brushing 

 before they are sent to market, but the difference may be easily detected by their 

 deep scarlet colour, and the leaves being cut off the roots. In addition to this, 

 the skin is rough and the flavour much inferior, whilst newly-forced Carrots are 

 smaller, of a straw colour, with a shining skin, and are always tied up in bunches 

 by tlieir long thin leaves ; both kinds may sometimes be seen at Covent Garden. 

 Special attention should be paid to this variety, which really deserves general 

 cultivation. The following ai-e its synonyms — French Forcing Carrot, French 

 Forcing Horn Carrot, Very Early Forcing Carrot, Very Early Scarlet Horn 

 Carrot, Very Early Short Horn Carrot, Early Forcing Horn Carrot, Very Early 

 French Carrot, etc. In France its synonyms are Carotte grelot, Carotte tr^s- 

 courtc a forcer, Carotte Carlinc, Carotte toupie, Carotte a chassis. 



Scarlet Horn (Carotte rouge courte). — A popular early variety, the most 

 generally cultivated for the first crop in the 

 open ground. The root is deep scarlet, 2^ to 

 3 inches long, and 1 to la inches thick. It 

 is nearly cylindrical, slightly tajjering, and 

 terminates abruptly. The flesh is very tender, 

 and highly flavoured. 'J'he top is greenish, 

 and hollow-crowned; and the leaves of a 

 medium size. It can be used for forcing 

 exactly like the preceding kind, but being of 

 a larger size it is not quite so early, there- 

 fore the best time for sowing is in February, 

 on a warm exposed border ; and, if well pro- 

 tected, in case of severe weather, a fair crop 

 of new Carrots may be expected by the be- 

 ginning of May. Sowings made subsequently 

 from March to May will afford a fair supply 

 during the whole summer where large roots 

 are objected to. On account of its small size it is not suitable for winter storing. 

 This kind is often mistaken or sold for the Frencli Forcing Carrot, although the 

 two plants differ much, both in size and earliness. The following are its 

 synonyms : — Early Horn Carrot, Early Scarlet Horn Carrot, English Horn Carrot, 

 Dutch Horn Carrot, Carotte rouge courte halive, Carotte rouge courte 

 d'Hollande, etc. 



Ikteemediate Scaklet (Carotte rouge demi-louguc ijoiutuc). — This is the 



] iiterinedinte 

 Scarlet. 



