The Family Kitchen Gardener (1856)/Carrot
CARROT.
Daúcus Caròla.—Carolle, Fr.—Mohre, Ger.
“The Carrot,” says an eminent physician, “is a most wholesome culinary root; it strengthens and nourishes the body, and is very beneficial for consumptive persons.” Carrots are generally served to table boiled, with meats; they make an excellent ingredient in soup, and form an agreeable pudding. As an agricultural root, they are not surpassed for feeding cattle. Horses will do more work and look better on them than on any other feed. It is supposed to have been introduced into Europe from the island of Crete, since which they have been greatly improved. The following are the leading varieties cultivated for supplying the kitchen regularly at all seasons of the year.
Early Horn is the most forward in ripening, and the best adapted for carly crops, and in my opinion the best adapted for any crop. Although they are shorter than the other sorts, they require a less depth of soil, and can be grown much closer together. Its peculiar character is, the tap-root drawing abruptly off to a point. It is higher colored when pure, and sweeter in taste than the other varieties, and can be sown as late as the 20th of July. I have this year a very excellent crop sown on the 28th of July, after the Onion erop was taken from the ground.
Long Orange is the sort generally grown for a Winter crop. It is paler in color than the former, and grows to a great length, frequently two feet long.
Altringham is a bright red variety, peculiar in having from one to two inches of the top above ground. I consider this in flavor next to the Early Horn. It is excellent for a general crop, being a fine keeper for Winter use.
Long Surrey—This variety is but imperfectly known here. It is like the Long Orange, but of a brighter color. In soil of a deep sandy loam, it produces a heavy crop, and is very suitable for the Farm.
Long White is much cultivated by the French for seasoning and for soups. On light, deep soils, it produces a heavy crop.
Culture.—In the culture of this excellent vegetable, a deep, light, rich, sandy soil, well manured, should if possible be employed. If the ground is not of this quality in the preceding year, it should be dug deep, and well broken. If this is not done, the roots fork or spread in a lateral direction, injuring both their size aud quality. It is very important to have an early crop, for such the Hora sort only should be used. Sow on a warm border, as early as the season will admit. In sowing, a calm day should be preferred, as the seeds are very light, they also bundle together, and should be rubbed between the hands in dry sand or earth, to separate them. The preferable way of sowing, is in shallow drills, half an inch deep, and nine to twelve inches apart, which admits of the hoe being mado use of in thinning out the crop, and clearing off the weeds. As soon as the plants are up, and can be easily observed. take a hos of three or four inches broad, and thin out the crop to three or four inches apart. The main crop intended for large roots, should be thinned to six inches apart. Frequent hoeing and stirring the soil, whether there are weeds to destroy or not, is very essential to the growth of the roots. From the first of May to the first of June, is the period to sow for a general erop, which will be ready to house about the first of November. As soon as the leaves begin to turn yellow, the roots can be taken up in a dry day. Cut the tops off about an inch from the crown, and pack the roots in dry carth or sand in the cellar, for Winter use; or they may be pitted out of doors, covered with two inches of straw and a foot of earth, to keep them from frost, when they can be in use till the following April—Beets may be kept in the same manner.