OF ESCULENTS. SECT. XV, 



-Sow carrots always in good time, as the seed lies 

 long in thp ground, and they are, by many persons, 

 coveted early. A few should be sown in a favour- 

 able situation, the first tolerable weather in February, 

 digging the ground well and deep for the purpose ; 

 for if it is lumpy, the carrots will grow forked, as 

 they will also if the ground is fresh dunged. 



Carrot seed should be mixed with dry sand, or 

 earth, rubbing them well together, in order the better 

 to spread it equally iu sowing. Use about twice as 

 much sand as seed, and if earth, it were better to 

 be of a different colour from that on which the seed 

 is distributed, that the seed may be seen. 



If early in the month, the new sown beds may be 

 covered with a little haulm, or straw, which will help 

 the seed to germinate, and preserve them from being 

 thrown Out of the ground by frost ; and this cover^ 

 ing should be continued on nights, and takea off by 

 day, when the plants are up ; which practice being 

 continued for some time, will greatly forward, as 

 well as preserve the crop. Some people sow in 

 December and January, if the weather is mild ; but 

 for this, (and other circumstances in gardening) 

 situation must, in a measure, govern, and discretion 

 determine : In this case, cover the ground with straw, 

 as for radishes ; which see. 



If a hot bed be made for carrots, let it be about 

 two feet and a half thick of dung, and covered with 

 eight inches of sifted mould, as soon as the violent 

 heat is gone off. Sow the seed directly, a full 

 quarter of an inch aeepv and if covered \vith lights, 

 give air sufficient to keep the earth only just warm. 

 A hooped bed to be covered with mats may do for 

 this purpose, but in this case, two feet of dung may 

 answer better than more : for if the seed is hurried 

 up, they will be too tender for the protection of such 



