THE CARROT. 
47 
Numerous varieties of Carrots are men 
tioned in the nurserymen and seedsmen's lists, 
but no doubt many of these names are synony- 
mous. The following list contains nearly all 
the really distinct varieties, and will furnish 
all the sorts really worth cultivation, either in 
the garden or the field. Carrots are usually 
classed in two groups, long and horn; the first 
group adapted for late crops and field culture 
on account of their size and produce, and the 
second group, for early forcing and small 
gardens, on account of their earlier maturity, 
smaller size, and generally superior flavour. 
Among the long varieties, one of the best 
is long red Carrot, the Surrey, or Cherstey 
Carrot of the markets, and no doubt known 
by many other names in various parts of the 
country : leaves of moderate length, roots 
long, tapering gradually ; flesh reddish, heart 
yellow. Perhaps the best for winter use. 
The long orange Carrot, the Sandwich 
Carrot of some : leaves long, root large, 
thick crowned, tapering sharply ; flesh orange, 
heart pale yellow. Much cultivated, but infe- 
rior to the preceding. 
The long yellow Carrot : leaves strong and 
tall, root very long and slender, tapering 
slowly ; flesh and heart pale yellow. A coarse 
variety, of inferior flavour, but valuable for 
field cultivation. 
The yellow Carrot : leaves of moderate 
length, root rather short, tapering quickly; 
flesh pale yellow, heart rather deeper coloured. 
A variety more esteemed in France than 
here. 
The Altringham Carrot : leaves strong, 
root long., thick, tapering gradually ; flesh 
deep coloured. This is a very highly prized 
variety, apparently intermediate between the 
two groups, attaining the size of the first, and 
having the habit and flavour of the second. 
The crown of the root grows more exposed 
above the surface than most of the other va- 
rieties, and acquires a green colour. 
The purple Carrot : leaves tall, root mode- 
rate size, thick at top, tapering suddenly ; 
flesh dee]) purple outside, next yellow, heart 
dark yellow. More used in France and Spain 
than here, and though very sweet, is deficient 
in flavour. 
The white Carrot: leaves moderate, root 
short, thick at top, tapering suddenly; flesh 
white, heart whitish, delicate, but not high 
flavoured, and does not keep well. 
The white Belgian Carrot : leaves strong, 
root large, growing above the ground, and 
acquiring a green colour, tapering very gra- 
dually ; flesh very white and sweet. A va- 
riety highly prized for agricultural purposes, 
producing very heavy crops in favourable 
soils. 
The varieties of the second group are not 
so numerous, and have acquired their name 
from the short cylindrical shape of their roots, 
ending bluntly, with a small tap root, thus 
something resembling a short horn. 
The long horn Carrot has a small crown of 
slender leaves, root long, blunt ; flesh reddish 
orange, heart nearly the same. Excellent for 
summer use ; flavour very good. Originally 
introduced from Holland. 
The common early horn Carrot : leaves 
moderate, root thick at top, tapering a little ; 
flesh reddish, heart yellow ; flavour good. 
This is the variety usually forced in England. 
The early red horn Carrot (the scarlet 
horn of some") : leaves dwarf, root short, thick, 
nearly cylindrical ; flesh reddish, centre red- 
dish, afterwards pale yellow. The earliest 
and best adapted for forcing. 
Several other names may be found in the 
dealers' lists, but the above are distinct, and 
will afford variety enough for all purposes. 
Indeed, by careful selection of the hand- 
somest roots, as man}' varieties might be 
made as fancy might dictate, and this practice 
should be rigidly followed in selecting roots 
for the purpose of saving seed. The roots 
so chosen should be carefully planted in a 
piece of rich ground as soon as the weather 
is open in spring, and well attended as to 
watering, if the season prove dry, keeping 
them clear of weeds, and stirring the soil deeply 
occasionally about the plants. The stalks 
should bo cut before the seed becomes too 
ripe, and hung up in an airy place to dry, and 
afterwards threshed or rubbed out, cleaned, 
and put by in bags or papers, according to 
the quantity. 
The Carrot succeeds best in a sandy soil, 
of good tilth, but from its being universally 
required, it is grown in all descriptions of soils 
and situations. Even in free soils, a deep 
stirring or trenching is highly beneficial, and 
should never be neglected on such as are 
heavy or retentive of moisture. If a piece of 
ground, trenched and dunged, he ready for a 
main crop, about the. beginning of March to 
the beginning of April, proceed to sow the 
seed in drills, using the long red or Altring- 
ham for deep free soils, and the long orange, 
or long horn, where the depth is less. Unless 
very sure of the goodness of the seed, it is 
advisable to sow rather thick, as the plants are 
easily thinned, and no great loss is incurred ; 
but if not thick enough, transplanting is a very 
good method of making up the deficiency. 
The distance between the drills may be from 
one foot to fifteen or eighteen inches, accord- 
ing to the variety sown, and the depth and 
fertility of the ground. The after routine is 
the same as for nearly all other crops, keeping 
down the wteds, stirring deep between the 
rows frequently, and thinning out, until finally 
