RED ALTRINGHAM 449 



hairs : the five primary ridges (/, Fig. 137) bear long unicellular 

 hairs. 



The Fruit and Seed. — The fruit is a schizocarp. Upon the 

 two dry mericarps the spiny secondary ridges are conspicuous, of 

 light brown tint. It is on account of these spiny projections that 

 the mericarps cling together and prevent the ' seed ' from being 

 sown evenly without previous rubbing and mixing with sand or 

 dry ashes. 



Each mericarp contains a single endospermous seed, with a 

 minute dicotyledonous embryo. 



Within the wall of the pericarp in each secondary ridge is one, 

 rarely two, vittae (3, Fig. 137, v), containing an oil which gives the 

 ripened mericarps a characteristic odour most easily recognised 

 when the latter are rubbed vigorously in the hands. 



Varieties. — Carrots vary much in the length, rapidity of 

 growth, and colour of their ' roots.' 



They also differ in their feeding-value, and the proportion of 

 ' rind ' to ' core.' Moreover, some varieties grow with a consider- 

 able proportion of their thickened ' root ' (hypocotyl) above 

 ground, while others have their 'roots' entirely buried in the 

 ground. 



Of all varieties the White Belgian gives the largest crop. The 

 upper part of the ' root ' is pale dull green, the lower part and 

 flesh white. The ' roots ' are of moderate length, very thick, 

 and grow with the upper parts about 6 inches above the ground : 

 from f to f of the white root is below ground. It is a hardy variety 

 adapted to almost all soils. The feeding-quality is low compared 

 with the red varieties. 



Of slightly superior quality, but smaller yielding capacity, is the 

 Yellow Belgian, with yellow flesh, but otherwise resembling the 

 white variety. 



Of red varieties the best cropper is Red Altringham. It 

 possesses thick long roots ending somewhat abruptly : the upper 

 part grows slightly above ground and is of greenish-purple 



2 F 



