238 CALIFORNIA VEGETABLES. 



Soil and Tillage. The requirements of the carrot so 

 closely resemble that of the beet that the reader is re- 

 ferred to the suggestions for culture already given for the 

 beet. The carrot has the same liking for a light, warm 

 soil, and the same reasons exist for a deep and thorough 

 preparation of the soil ; for, though the carrot, if the seed 

 is sown after the chill and surplus water have gone out of 

 a heavy soil, will do very well if well cultivated, it pro- 

 duces the largest and most shapely roots when it can 

 deeply penetrate and easily displace the soil in its ex- 

 pansion. Carrot ground should, then, receive early work- 

 ing to receive the rains, and be plowed again and well 

 loosened up and fined before the seed is sown. 



Sowing Carrot Seed. It is very necessary that the soil 

 should be in good condition. Sowing in the fall on irri- 

 gated ground is practicable, and so is sowing immediately 

 after the early fall rains have moistened the 'soil suffici- 

 ently to prevent drying out, but if the place is quite frosty 

 and the soil apt to be water-soaked, later planting is bet- 

 ter. For this reason, as already stated, some prefer to 

 bridge the dry season, sowing in March or even in April, 

 so that the young plant may have the best conditions at 

 the start. As it gets age it becomes hardier and can be 

 taken from the ground in good condition and maximum 

 size all during the following winter. Late sowing is also 

 advocated because of the opportunity to kill weeds by 

 plowing in the winter growth before seeding. This prac- 

 tice is generally approved in the coast regions of the 

 northern part of the State. On the other hand, in south- 

 ern Califoria, and in most parts of the San Joaquin and 

 Sacramento valleys, on the lighter soils especially, a start 

 from the seed in December or January, when weather and 

 soil favor it, gives the plant a chance to root weir before 

 the dry season and then it is in much better condition to 

 stand heat and drought than if younger. Both practices 

 are rational and each is adapted to its own set of condi- 

 tions. 



Carrot seed must be fresh. It is small, rather difficult 



