WINTER VEGETABLES. 



79 



Nor are Carrots half so much used as a vegetable as they 

 might well be, though they would become far more popular if 

 boiled long enough to soften them to nearly the consistency of 

 marrow. Those with plenty of frames can easily have sweet and 

 tender young Carrots of the Horn varieties nearly or quite all the 

 year round, and certainly throughout the winter months, and 

 even without these aids a serviceable lot of young Carrots may 

 be had by sowing seed on warm borders early in July. 



Onions are usually available in fairly large quantities, and, well 

 cooked and served, form a tempting dish, to say nothing of their 

 good qualities when fried and served with a beefsteak. 



Turnips are also popular enough, and would be even more so 

 if the hardy, mildly flavoured, and very tender Chirk Castle 

 Black Stone was more generally grown. Although this variety 

 has a black skin, the flesh cooks quite white. 



Jerusalem Artichokes are known to everybody, but, although 

 grown in most gardens, there are frequently more roots spoilt 

 than used. In this instance I blame the growers rather than the 

 cooks. According to my experience, these Artichokes are very 

 often treated too much like Horseradish than is good for either 

 the quality or quantity of the crop. In other words, what roots 

 are required for use are dug and the rest left to grow again, and 

 thinning out perhaps being all the trouble taken with them. 

 That is not the way to grow good wholesome roots ; but, on the 

 contrary, these can best be had by changing the site and other- 

 wise treating them much as Potatoes are cultivated. The new 

 white-skinned variety should be grown everywhere. 



Stocky s tuberifcra, or Chinese Artichokes, form an agreeable 

 variety, and are easily cultivated ; but I find the cook has to be 

 looked after rather closely, or otherwise not many of those 

 " bothering " little tubers find their way to the dining-table. In 

 all probability this species will never become very popular. 



Salsafy and Scorzonera are both fairly popular, and if the 

 cook possesses the skill, or is so disposed, they can be converted 

 into tempting dishes. If they fail to do well, or the majority of 

 the plants run to seed prematurely, this is usually due to sowing 

 the seed too early, the first week in May answering best. 



Celeriac, or Turnip-rooted Celery, has fewer admirers, though 

 it is by no means to be despised as a vegetable. I find the Apple- 

 rooted and Large Early Paris very superior to the ordinary 

 variety. 



