238 VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES. 



We are indebted for its introduction to the Flemings, 

 who, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, sought refuge 

 in England from the insupportable tyranny of their 

 Spanish master Philip the Second. Finding the soil 

 about Sandwich in Kent very favourable for the cul- 

 ture of the carrot, the emigrants soon engaged in its 

 production on that spot. The English, whose know- 

 ledge of horticulture was at that time extremely cir- 

 cumscribed, were in this case well pleased to add 

 another edible vegetable to the scanty list which were 

 then under general cultivation. The carrot, therefore, 

 unlike the turnip, grew quickly into esteem, and being 

 made an object of careful culture, was very shortly 

 naturalized throughout the island. We are told by 

 Parkinson, the celebrated botanist to James the First, 

 that in his time the ladies adorned their head-dresses 

 with carrot-leaves, the light feathery verdure of which 

 caused them to be no contemptible substitute for the 

 plumage of birds. Although the taste of the fair sex 

 in the present day has discarded this simple and per- 

 ishable ornament, the leaves of the carrot are even 

 now sometimes used as house decorations. If in the 

 winter a section be cut from the end or thick part of 

 the root, and this be placed in a shallow vessel con- 

 taining water, young and delicate leaves arc developed, 

 forming a e radiated tuft,' the graceful and verdant 

 appearance of which make it a pleasing ornament for 

 the mantel-piece in that season when any semblance 

 of vegetation is a welcome relief to the eye. 



The carrot is a biennial plant, attaining to the height 

 of two feet ; its white flowers grow in umbels, that is, 

 having the common peduncle divided into rays spring- 

 ing from one point, each ray or pedicle being termin- 

 ated by a floret ; they appear in June and July, and 

 are succeeded by rough hairy grains. 



Of cultivated carrots there are many varieties, 

 which have in all probability been produced by climate 



