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PB ACTIO AL GUIDE TO GARDEN PLANTS 



CABBOT 



they are a remarkably pretty sight, quite 

 worthy of the flower garden. Scarlet 

 Eunners may also be grown without 

 supports of any kind if the tops of the 

 young plants are pinched out when 

 about 2 ft. high, afterwards repeating the 

 process when necessary. 



By frequently picking the pods, the 



plants continue to develop fresh blooms, 

 and from these pods may , be picked 

 almost till the approach of frost. 



Varieties. — The following are most 

 grown : — The Common Scarlet Rv/nner, 

 Painted Lady (or Torlc and Lancaster), 

 Ne Plus Ultra, and Scarlet Champion, 



Group III. — Umbellifebous Crops 



CARROT (Caucus Caeota). — The 

 Carrot is a hardy biennial and found in 

 a wild state in the British Islands and 

 throughout the North temperate hemi- 

 sphere generally. It has been much 

 improved by good cultivation and is 

 highly valued for its fleshy taproots. The 

 leaves are very much divided as in many 

 other plants belonging to the Umbellifer 

 Order (see p. 464), and if the plants are 

 allowed to grow on for two seasons, small 

 white flowers will be produced the second 

 season and ripen seeds. 



Soil. ■ — • A deep and well-dug or 

 trenched sandy loam is best for Carrots, 

 but any well - tilled garden soil will 

 produce excellent crops. The ground 

 should be prepared and manured in 

 autumn or winter, so as to be in a good 

 condition for sowing in spring. It is not 

 wise to manure the ground in spring, as 

 forked and unsightly roots often result 

 from the grossnesB of the manure (see 

 ' Soil,' p. 61). As a rule it is better to 

 sow Carrot seeds after some crop for 

 which the ground has been heavily 

 manured. In such a case no more 

 manure is needed, and it is only necessary 

 to deeply dig the soil early in winter. 



Sowing. — Seeds may be sown at 

 intervals from February to the end of 

 June in fine weather when the soil is 

 loose and friable. Early crops are sown 

 in February, but must be protected with 

 litter for a time ; main crops are sown 

 in April, and late ones up to the end 

 of June or July in southern districts. 

 The shallow drills should be about 1 ft. 

 apart, running north and south if possible. 

 The seed should be sown very thinly, and, 

 to assist in this, may be mixed with sand 

 or ashes. A dressing of lime and soot 

 on the soil both before and after sowing 

 will prevent attacks of slugs, wireworms, 

 and other pests. As the seeds are small 

 they need not be covered heavily. An 

 extra early crop may be obtained by sow- 



ing in cold frames in January and Febru- 

 ary. Plenty of light and air should always 

 be given when possible, only covering the 

 plants in times of severe frost or cold 

 chilling rains. 



Some gardeners also make a sowing 

 of Carrots, such as French Forcing and 

 Scarlet Horn in August and September, 

 on warm sunny and sheltered borders, so 

 as to secure a crop the following spring. 

 When sown at this late period the roots 

 must remain in the ground during the 

 winter, and in the event of severe weather 

 must be protected with a layer of soil an 

 inch or so in thickness, or a layer of dried 

 leaves, litter &c. 



Thinning out. — When the plants are 

 2-3 in. high they must be thinned out to 

 about 4 inches apart for the early 

 varieties, and 6-9 in. apart for the Main- 

 crop and later kinds. Weeds of course 

 are attended to at the same time, and 

 the space between the rows may be kept 

 clean by the use of a small hoe, and in 

 dry weather loosening the soil with a 

 hoe, or watering will be very beneficial. 

 In the event of any insect pest appearing, 

 a dressing of lime and soot, or fine ashes 

 mixed with paraffin may be strewn among 

 the plants. 



Storing. — In autumn when the beauti- 

 fully cut and ornamental ■ foUage has 

 been bronzed and purpled with maturity 

 the roots may be carefully Ufted vrith a 

 fork, and having severed the leaves about 

 -J in. from the crown, they may be stored 

 in soil either in heaps or side by side in 

 layers, with the tops pointing outwards, 

 with soil and Carrots alternating, so as 

 to prevent the generation of heat. 

 Heavy rains may be kept off by a thatch- 

 ing of litter, bracken, fern &c. 



In the event of the tops starting into 

 growth after storing the roots should be 

 freshly arranged in the soil. When avail- 

 able, silver sand as used for potting pur- 

 poses is an excellent medium for storing 



