l80 THE BOOK OF USEFUL PLANTS 



The Greeks cultivated the wild carrots over two 

 thousand years ago. Their writers talk about it. 

 In France and England, improvement has gone 

 on nearly as long, until carrots are as common 

 vegetables as potatoes. They are constantly used 

 in stews and soups for flavoring, and boiled to be 

 served alone or with other vegetables in salads. 

 The very best way to cook tender young carrots 

 is to steam them in their skins, removing these 

 before serving with a rich white sauce. 



An abundant supply of early, half-grown carrots 

 come north from truck farms of Florida, while it 

 is yet winter. These are among the most attrac- 

 tive things in market to those who have learned 

 to enjoy the carrot flavor at its best. 



Carrot seeds contain an aromatic oil, used for 

 flavoring liqueurs. The red juice of highly colored 

 varieties is used to color butter and sometimes as 

 a dye. 



POTATOES 



A family of plants is a group of different kinds 

 which bears certain general resemblances to 

 each other. The flowers are often the parts that 

 exhibit these family characteristics, when other 

 features are so modified that the members seem 

 very far apart. The fruits of closely related 



