CARROT 



203 



It is extensively grown in the fields in the north-west of France, but 

 is not without merit as a kitchen-garden plant, especially when 

 young, as when it has advanced in growth it sometimes becomes 

 hard and almost woody at the heart. The flesh is yellow. When 

 it is desired to be used in winter without becoming hard, it should 

 be sown rather late — about the end of May or the first days in 

 June. This is one of the oldest French varieties of Carrot. We 

 find it described in old horticultural works before there was any 

 mention made in them of the Red or Orange varieties. In the 

 present day these are most generally preferred ; and the place 

 which the Lemon Carrot 

 formerly occupied in 

 cultivation for market 

 supply is now filled by 

 the Common Long Red 

 Carrot, which, in its turn, 

 is being largely super- 

 seded by the St. Valery 

 Long Red variety. 



Short Lemon Carrot. 

 — Root scarcely twice or 

 thrice as long as broad, 

 conical in shape, and 

 sunk in the ground; neck 

 flat and wide ; rather 

 pale yellow throughout. 



Yellow Interme- 

 diate, or Long Yellow 

 Stump-rooted, Carrot. 

 — The root is almost 

 cylindrical, and very 

 blunt at the end ; the 

 flesh and skin a true 

 yellow. It is a good 

 Carrot grown on a large 

 scale for cattle-feedine, 



Long Yellow Stamp-rooted Carrot. 



and is also an excellent kitchen-garden 

 Carrot, despite its light colour. It is very productive, and although 

 very sweet, it keeps well during the winter. 



Improved Wild Carrots. — About the year 1830 M. Vilmorin, 

 sen., commenced several cultural experiments with the view of 

 obtaining from the Wild Carrot enlarged and edible roots similar to 

 those of the cultivated varieties. In the course of a few years, his 

 sowings yielded him a certain proportion of plants with fleshy roots 

 of various colours. Some of these forms remained constant for 

 several years, reproducing themselves from seed with great 

 regularity. The most remarkable of them were the Improved 



