CARROTS. 



The Carrot should always be furnished with a good, deep, rich soil, and as free from stones 

 and lumps as possible; and if a rather light loam, it is better than if compact and heavy. It is 

 waste of time and labor to try to grow roots of any kind on a poor or unprepared soil. Seed 

 should be got in early, so as to have the benefit of a portion of the spring rains. We knew a part 

 of a field to be sown, when a long rain interrupting the operator, it was not resumed until after 

 the soil had become pretty dry, and no showers coming very soon, the first half sown pro- 

 duced an abundant crop, while the last was almost a failure. Sow in drills about an inch deep, 



the drills about a foot apart ; and at thinning, the plants should be left at from four to ten inches 

 apart in the rows, according to kind. The Short Horn may be allowed to grow very thickly, 

 almost in clusters. To keep roots for table use, place them in sand in the cellar; but for feed- 

 ing, they will keep well in a cellar, without eovering, or buried in the ground, and any 

 desired for spring use may be pitted out of the way of frost. An ounce of seed will sow about 

 one hundred feet of drill, and two pounds is the usual quantity per acre. For field culture, of 

 course, the rows must be sufficiently distant to admit of running the cultivator between them. 

 The Carrot is mostly used in America for soups, and for this the smaller and finer varieties are 

 grown. The Carrot is very nutritious and is relished by all animals. The engraving shows the 

 comparative size and habit of growth of most of the leading varieties. Figure 1, Long Orange ; 2, 

 Orange Belgian Green-Top; 3, Early French Short-Horn; 4, White Belgian Green-Top; 5, Early 

 Very Short Scarlet ; 6, Half- Long Scarlet Stump-Rooted; 7, Altringham ; 8, Half-Long Scarlet. 



CHICORY. 



Chicory is used in Europe as a salad plant. Seed is sown in the spring, in drills half an inch 

 deep, in a good, mellow soil ; and the after culture is the same as for Carrots. 

 In the autumn, the plants will be ready for blanching. This is generally 

 done by placing a box over them, or by tying the tops of the leaves loosely 

 together, and drawing the earth well up the plant. The greatest value of 

 Chicory is as a substitute for coffee. It has a root something like a parsnip. 

 They are washed clean, cut into pieces that will dry readily, kiln-dried, and 

 then they are ready to roast and grind for coffee. The prepared root is 

 brought from Europe, for the adulteration of coffee. An ounce of seed will 

 sow about one hundred feet of drill, and from two to three pounds are 

 required for an acre. The second season the Chicory sends up a flower stem 

 three or four feet, bearing pretty, bright blue flowers, which we have shown 

 about half size in the engraving. It is so hardy there is danger it may 

 become a troublesome weed, as it flourishes on the road-sides and in meadows in many places. 



1-50 



