Page:The family kitchen gardener - containing plain and accurate descriptions of all the different species and varieties of culinary vegetables (IA familykitchengar56buis).pdf/45

 “ 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.