132 AMERICAN HOME GARDEN. 



the very earliest summer use. It should be sown at the first 

 opening of the spring, in rows half an inch deep, about one 

 foot apart, and, if the weather prove dry, water lightly until the 

 plants come up. Hoe and keep clean, thinning to two or three 

 inches, and drawing out for use as fast as they swell. 



The long orange, when of a very dark orange color (see Col- 

 or, p. 71), is the best of all carrots, and though not perhaps 

 always yielding so heavy crops as some of the coarser varieties, 

 it may fairly be doubted if its superior quality does not render 

 it, upon the whole, more desirable than those varieties, even for 

 farm culture. 



It may be sown about the last of May or in the first half of 

 June, in the same manner as the former, the yourig plants be- 

 ing thinned to four inches apart. 



Among market-gardeners around New York and south of it, 

 carrots are also sown later and wintered out, being lightly cov- 

 ered with straw, or salt hay, or evergreens. In this state they 

 remain uninjured through the winter, and, starting to grow 

 early, afford carrots that can be bunched in May, and really fur- 

 nish fresher-flavored roots than those which have been stored. 



A light, warm, and not very rich soil is suitable for carrots, 

 but good crops may be raised upon any soil deepened by good 

 culture and moderately manured. 



In the vicinity of large cities land is sometimes made too 

 rich for this crop, and it fails entirely. 



If raised as a farm crop, carrots should be sown in rows two 

 feet wide,. being thinned to four inches apart in the row, and 

 kept free from weeds. Plow often and deeply until they are 

 about half grown, then run the skeleton plow once beam-deep 

 between the rows ; follow it with the light corn-harrow, and 

 the culture of your crop is completed. 



Carrot-seed imported from Europe is generally very trouble- 

 some to sow, unless thoroughly rubbed with earth, or ashes, or 

 plaster. It is very woolly, and can scarcely be separated. 

 American seed, if properly managed, is clean and free as other 

 ordinary seeds. See Analysis and Value of Carrots, p. 500. 



In addition to the common uses of carrots, they, make excel- 

 lent " pumpkin pies." For this purpose they should be passed 



