CARROTS 163 



flower. Dibble the seed in twenty inches apart, with 

 three or four in a hole, and cover over with an inch and 

 a half of fine soil. Thin the seedlings to one at a 

 place when large enough, and use the strongest plants 

 for making good any failures. 



Keep the plants well supplied with water during 

 the growing season, and give farmyard manure water 

 once a week. Watering overhead is a good practice in 

 hot and dry weather, and produces what is most es- 

 sential, viz., a quick growth. 



Blanching of Cardoons must commence ten weeks 

 before they are wanted, and be continued at intervals of 

 ten days until the process is complete, stiff brown paper 

 and hay-bands being the best material for the purpose. 

 Put the paper about eight inches up the plant for a 

 start, then bind round a hay-band, and secure each 

 plant to a stout stake. Bank soil up to the same height, 

 and continue this until the blanching is completed. 



Cardoons are useful during October and November 

 to the exhibitor of large collections of vegetables, if 

 the stems are blanched about two feet. 



CARROTS. 



Select a deep sandy loam for this crop, although 

 capital roots are often grown on sandy peat, but seldom 

 indeed can exhibition specimens of the finest type be 

 produced unless special means are taken to procure 

 them. Few things are more attractive when at their 

 best than Carrots at any season of the year, consequently 



