Some of our best farmers advocate planting about the middle of May,
others equally successful in root culture claim that the middle of
June is the best time. There are arguments for both early and late
planting. In New England we usually have the weather sufficiently
moist towards the close of May to insure the germination of the seed
and protect the plants when they break ground, from “sun-scald.”
Those planted as late as the middle of June are more liable to be so
affected by the dry weather usual at that period as not to vegetate
as well; and should the heat be very great just after they push
through the ground, sometimes in a single day nearly the entire crop
will disappear by “sun-scald.” But on the other hand, by planting
late we about get rid of one weeding, assuming that the ground is
stirred by the cultivator occasionally, up to the time of planting.
Again, this brings the crop in full vigor in October, the month of
all others most favorable for the growth of the root, and the Carrots
being dug while the tops are in fair growing condition, keep better
than when dug fully ripe. The argument for late planting holds
especially good for the Short Horn varieties, as these require a
shorter time to mature than the long kinds. If the crop is planted
too early, sometimes the roots, having matured, will attempt to
push seed shoots; when this is so they will be found woody in their
structure, with numberless thread-like roots, while their quality and
keeping properties are greatly injured. This crop on rich land is
sometimes planted as late as the first week in July, and with great
success, should the Fall prove exceptionably mild, yet, as a rule, I
would not recommend planting later than the middle of June. If it so
happens, from press of work, or the dry weather, the farmer has to
plant later than this, then by all means let him confine himself to
the earlier varieties.