[Sca-cooks] Carrots in period

[Terry Decker]

Oops, while there are refernces to orange carrots in the 17th Century, the 
serious botanical descriptions are 18th Century.

The first variety is the Long Orange Dutch, which was presumably described 
in 1721 (I haven't found the reference yet).  I think it may be a true 
breeding hybrid from the orange carrots referenced in 16th and 17th Century 
sources.  It is believed to be the progenitor of the "Horn" carrots, the 
Early Scarlet, the Early Half Long and the Late Half Long.  The Horn carrots 
are the basic stock for our modern commercial varietals.  I have seen 
non-contemporary references to at least three other varietals, but have no 
particular proof of their existence.  I tend to refer to five varietals, 
because I have encountered that particular information several times, but 
have not been able to validate the information.

For the descriptions try:

Knoop, J.H., 1752:  De beknopte huisholdijke Hovenier, Vol. 1, 309-310, 
Noordbeek, Leeuwarden.
Knoop, J.H., 1769:  Beschrijving van de moes -- en keukentuin, Ferwerda and 
Tresling, Leeuwarden.

I haven't located the original texts yet, although I have several references 
to them.

The Horn carrots are so named because they are connected to the village of 
Hoorn.  There are references to "carrots of Hoorn" as early asa 1610 (but no 
description), so it is probable that all four varietals listed above were 
around in the 16th Century.

Bear