38 
AMERICAN KITCHEN GARDENER. 
But as all thebe are naturally better, the plants are blanchel by being tied up 
like lettuces, about the month of September, and having earth thrown upon 
their lower parts to the depth of eighteen inches or two feet. Cardoons 
come into season about the end of November ; and are either eaten alone, or 
as a sauce to animal food, particularly roast meat; or are introduced as a dish 
in the second course-Loudon. 
CARROT. 
Daucus Carota .— Carotte , Fr.— Molire , Ger. 
This plant is said to be a native of Great Britain, where it is still found 
growing wild. There are many varieties of the carrot; and the following 
are the finest sorts enumerated in Mr. Russell’s Catalogue :—• 
Altringham, (a superior sort,) 
Early horn, 
Cremer, (fine for the table,) 
Lemon, 
Long orange, 
Blood red. 
Soil .—“ The carrot requires a light, mellow soil, mixed with sand, and 
should be dug or trenched one or two spades deep, breaking well all the 
lumpy parts, so as to form a porous bed, and an even surface. The orange 
and red sorts, on account of their longer roots, require a soil proportionably 
deeper than the horn.” 
Seed estimate and sowing .—The seeds have numerous forked hairs on their 
borders, by which they adhere together, and therefore should, previously to sow¬ 
ing, be rubbed between the hands, and mixed with dry sand, in order to separate 
them as much as possible. They are also very light, and therefore a calm 
day must be chosen for sowing ; and the seeds should be disseminated equally 
and trodden in before raking. Previously to sowing, if convenient, the seed 
should be proven, by sowing a few in a pot, and placing it in a hot-bed or 
hot-house, as it is more frequently bad than most seeds. Fora bed 4J feet 
by 30, one ounce will be requisite, and the same for 150 feet of drill row. 
Dr. Deane advises to sow carrots in drills from 9 to 12 inches apart, across 
beds 4 feet wide. M‘Mahon directs to sow thin in drills, distant from each 
other from 8 to 10 inches, and to thin them to 3 inches, plant from plant, in 
the rows. 
To save seed .—Plant some largest, best roots early in the spring, two feet 
apart; insert them a few inches over the crowns. They will yield ripe 
seed in autumn, of which gather only from the principal umbel, which is 
likely not only to afford the ripest and largest seed, but the most vigorous 
plants. 
