KITCHEN-GARDEN VEGETABLES. 
method is preferable, as less seed will suffice, 
and the plants can be thinned more regularly. 
for Early Horn and similar small sorts the 
drills should be 8 inches apart, and the plants 
should be thinned to 4 inches apart in the rows. 
Altrincham, and others of similar growth, may 
be 10 or 12 inches from row to row, and the 
plants 6 inches apart in the rows. For larger 
sorts the rows may be from 12 to 15 inches 
apart, and the plants may be thinned to 6 or 
8 inches asunder in the rows. In soil where 
the Carrot attains a large size, more space 
should be allowed than where smaller roots and 
tops are produced. In general, 12 inches be- 
tween the rows, and 6 inches from plant to 
plant in the row, will be about a proper average 
distance. On strong soils where the roots be- 
come objectionally coarse if given much room, | 
The | 
they may be left thicker in the rows. 
edges of the drills may be smoothed down with 
the back of a hay-rake, or a little fine light soil 
may be put over the seeds, and in ail cases 
where the ground is in good condition as re- 
gards dryness, a light roller should be passed 
over the whole surface of the ground. Care 
should be taken to insert a small stick or two 
at each end of the rows, so that the intervals 
can be hoed if weeds start up before the Carrots 
themselves appear. 
As soon as the plants can be handled, they 
should be thinned at first to half the distance 
at which they are to remain for full growth: 
the intermediate ones will serve for drawing 
young. After thinning, the usual routine of 
weeding and hoeing must be persevered in; but 
the surface should not be deeply loosened, as 
this encourages forking. 
In cold soils, and in sunless weather, the seeds 
lie long in the ground without germinating, and 
under such circumstances they would be as well 
in the seed-room. But to obviate this the seed 
may be steeped for twenty-four hours, and 
then kept in a temperature of about 55° till 
germination commences, when they may be 
sown in the open ground. This plan may be 
advantageously adopted in cold situations, and 
where, from much wet, the ground cannot be 
worked at the proper time for sowing. 
The seeds of the Carrot are apt to lose their 
germinative powers; it is therefore advisable to 
test them before sowing by placing a few ina 
flower-pot in gentle heat; when they come up, 
the proportion of good and bad seed in the lot 
can be ascertained. 
Taking the Crop—Carrots are drawn young 
as required. The main crop is taken up at the 
423 
end of October or beginning of November, a 
dry day being chosen for the operation. This 
is performed by loosening the root with a fork, 
pulling by the top at the same time. Some cut 
off the tops a little above the crown; others cut 
off a small portion of the latter so as to remove 
all the crown-buds. We prefer cutting close to 
the crown, but not into the skin of the upper 
part of the root. 
The roots should be stored in sand scarcely 
moist, but by no means over dry. The situation 
in which they are stored cannot be too cool, 
provided the roots are safe from frost. An 
underground cellar is not the best place, an open 
shed being better, or a loft with an open shed 
below, covering them with as much sand as 
will prevent them from being affected by sudden 
changes of temperature. To store a large 
quantity in an open shed, select the longest 
roots for the lowest layer; lay them shoulder 
to shoulder, with their crowns towards the wall, 
but close to it; then place another layer in the 
same way, but with their crowns opposite to 
those first laid. Proceed thus with other 
layers, selecting always the next longest roots 
to those which formed the preceding layer, and 
consequently finishing with the shortest roots. 
The whole should then be covered with well- 
dried straw or fern. They may also be thus 
arranged in the open ground, if it be dry, and 
then covered over with thin dry turf, leaving 
some openings stuffed with straw, to afford 
ventilation. 
Whatever mode of storing is adopted, no 
great bulk of roots should be put together, 
otherwise fermentation may take place, and the 
flavour of the Carrots consequently spoilt. In 
soils where maggots do not attack the roots, 
they may be left in the ground till towards 
spring, care being taken to cover them with 
litter in case of frost. Late-sown breadths to 
be left in the ground, and tender young roots 
drawn as required. In order to be able to do 
this in frosty weather, protect with a good 
thickness of strawy litter. 
To save Seeds.—This may be done either by 
leaving some plants in the ground, and protect- 
ing them from frost; or, in taking up the crop, 
some of the finest specimens may be selected, 
their tops cut off at some distance from the 
crown, and preserved in sand till February or 
March, when they should be planted out about 
18 inches apart in good soil enriched with de- 
composed manure. As the umbels successively 
ripen their seeds they should be cut off, and 
laid on a seed-cloth in the sun, to get thoroughly 
