180 



CULINARY OE KITCHEN GARDEN. 



deuce of bad cultivation to allow any 

 ground to be occupied with a crop during 

 winter, which might as well be dug up 

 and stored by, and so give an opportunity 

 for the improvement of the soil by manur- 

 ing, trenching digging, <fec. Dry weather 

 should be chosen for taking up the crop, 

 and the implement employed for loosening 

 them in the soil should be a fork, and not 

 a spade. When they are withdrawn from 

 the ground, the tops should be cut off: 

 on this part of their management opinions 

 are somewhat at variance, some recom- 

 mending cutting the tops off an inch 

 from the crown, others close to it ; while 

 some say a slice about the thickness of a 

 shilling of the crown of the root should 

 be removed at the same time. Those 

 who advocate the latter process, do so 

 with a view to prevent any further vege- 

 tation ; while others say that thus cutting 

 into the root causes it to rot. Those who 

 favour the former do so with a wish to 

 preserve the capability of vegetation, 

 though certainly not to encourage the 

 tendency to grow. In either way they 

 will keep equally well, if dried in the sun 

 when taken up, and pitted, like potatoes, 

 in long narrow pits, or packed in sand not 

 over dry in the root-cellar, placing 3 or 4 

 inches of sand between each layer of roots; 

 for both here and in pits, if laid in thick 

 masses together, fermentation takes place, 

 and in a short time the whole will become 

 a mass of putrefaction. Their keeping 

 till spring depends greatly on the low 

 temperature they are kept in, and also 

 on vegetation not being encouraged. 

 When packed in sand, they can readily be 

 examined during winter ; and should any 

 signs of vegetation appear, the embryo 

 leaves can be rubbed off. Packing them 

 in too dry sand has a tendency to absorb 

 the natural juices in them, and cause 

 them to become hard and tough, and in- 

 deed unfit for use. Although they will keep 

 in the ground all winter unscathed by frost, 

 yet, when taken up and exposed to it, they 

 are very susceptible of injury from it. In 

 storing carrots for winter and spring use, 

 we may observe that all the small fibrous 

 roots should be cut clean away, as, if left 

 on, they are liable to decay, and cause the 

 decay to spread through the whole bin. 

 In cutting off the tops at lifting, remove 

 a slice from the crown sufficiently thick 

 to divest them of those latent buds which 



surround the crown, and which would 

 burst out into leaves and begin to grow 

 upon the least rise of temperature in the 

 bin or cellar. Carrots so treated do not 

 wither, owing to the evaporation from 

 the wound j nor do they at all decay. If 

 allowed to sprout into growth, the natu- 

 ral sap is drawn from them, and they be- 

 come hard, dry, and destitute of flavour. 

 If carrots are left in the ground all win- 

 ter, they should, on the approach of severe 

 frost, be covered over with litter ; for it 

 not unfrequently happens, if left unpro- 

 tected, that the frost wiU destroy them. 



Approved sorts and their qualities. — Carrots 

 are divided into two pretty distinct classes — 

 namely, Horn carrots and Long carrots; the 

 former are nearly cylindrical, terminating ab- 

 ruptly at the point : being considered of supe- 

 rior flavour and delicacy, they are preferred for 

 garden culture. The latter have long tapering 

 roots, are of larger size, and are more fitted for 

 field culture than for domestic purposes. 



Early or common horn. — The most esteemed 

 of all garden carrots for general culinary pur- 

 poses, on account of the smallness of its heart 

 and tenderness of its fibre; form thick, short, 

 and terminating abruptly. Crown hollow, with 

 very small neck and short thin foliage. Known 

 also as Dutch carrot, or Dutch horn. Average 

 size from 6 to 7 inches in length. Is the same 

 as the early scarlet horn. 



Early fording horn. — Boot somewhat conical, 

 seldom exceeding 3 inches in length; well 

 adapted for forcing for winter use. 



Early short horn. — This appears intermediate 

 between the early forcing and orange carrot in 

 size, shape, and period of arriving at maturity ; 

 probably a hybrid between them. It appears 

 to be little known in Britain, but is much 

 grown on the Continent, where it is known as 

 Carotte courte hative, and in our seed-shops as 

 red horn, short red, and short orange. 



White Belgian horn. — Resembling the last, ex- 

 cept in colour. A delicate and excellent sort; 

 but its colour is objected to by cooks. Is also 

 known as transparent white. 



Long red horn. — Merely a variety found in 

 seed- lists, differing little from the first. Is 

 known also as long red horn. 



Of Long carrots, the following are most in 

 estimation for culinary purposes — 



Altringham. — " This sort is easily distin- 

 guished from the orange and long red by its 

 roots growing more above ground, also by their 

 having more convex or rounded heads, tapering 

 rather more irregularly and terminating more 

 abruptly at the point; in colour most resem- 

 bling the orange, but having a smaller heart. 

 This variety is more difficult to procure genuine 

 than any of the others, from its being remark- 

 ably liable to sport, even although the roots 

 grown for seed be selected with the utmost 

 care." It is of Cheshire origin, having appeared 

 at Altringham, a village in that county, about 



