494 THE PARKS AND GARDENS OF PARIS. [Chap. XXIX. 



will produce au excellent crop in the autumn and throughout the winter. On 

 account of the delicacy of this Carrot, considorahle attention and care must be 

 devoted to it during growth, which however will be amply repaid by the results. 

 It is sometimes called " Garotte sans coeur." 



Forcing Carrots. — The French Forcing and the Scarlet Horn Carrots are the 

 best for this purpose, but the first is to be preferred. The foi'cing is thus con- 

 ducted: — Prepare mild liotbeds 2i feet thick in November or December, and I3 

 or 2 feet in January or Februaiy ; put on the frames, cover the bed with 5 or 6 

 inches of rich soil or mould, and as soon as the whole is sufficiently heated, sow 

 the seed broadcast, cover with half-an-inch of mould, smooth the surface, and 

 place mats over the glass until the seed comes up. Should the interior get dry, 

 give a slight watering, but damp must be guarded against. 'J'he plants must be 

 thinned to half-an-inch apart as soon as they have four or five leaves. Air must 

 be admitted as often as the temperature will allow of it; this will give strength to 

 the seedlings. The heat mus-t not exceed 60° during the day and 50° at night ; 

 this may be easily regulated by tilting the glass. In the case of sharp frost, 

 covering with mats is preferable to artificial heat. Shading, if needed, must not 

 be omitted. A November sowing, if well managed, will produce fine young 

 Carrots at the end of February, and through March and April. Subsequent 

 sowings — in December for March to April, in January for April to May, 

 and, lastly, in February for April to June— are required by market-gardeners; 

 but, in private gardens, the first bed should be made in November and the second 

 in January ; these will afford an ample supply until new open-ground Carrots are 

 fit for use. Where frames are not available, prepare at the beginning of February, 

 in some warm corner, a bed of hot material mixed with leaves, covered with 4 or 

 5 inches of mould ; sow the seed and protect with mats supported with sticks or 

 other apparatus. As soon as the seed comes up remove the covering every day 

 as frequently as the weather will ijermit, and the crop will be ready by the end 

 of April and through May. Parisian market-gardeners mix seeds of Radish and 

 Lettuce with those of Carrots, they being ready for use before the Carrots, which 

 are then left to produce a second crop ; a jjractice not advisable, nor is that of 

 planting Cauliflowers among forced Carrots. 



D. GUIHENEUF. 



Culture in the Open-air. — The first sowings are made in the 

 open-air in the month of September. During frost care is taken 

 to cover the young crop with straw, which is removed whenever 

 the weather is fine enough. When this sowing is successful 

 the crop may be gathered towards the month of May. Other 

 sowings are made in February and March, from which time they 

 may be continued regularly until July. But at whatever time 

 the sowing takes place, the ground ought to be well prepared, 

 and the seed sown broadcast. After the seed is sown the ground 

 is slightly covered, then trodden down with the feet, and a layer 

 of fine and thoroughly-rotted manure spread over the whole ; the 



