Carrots are cultivated in agriculture already for four thousand years. During this time people have managed to remove set of grades of this plant which differ both in coloring, and root crop form. On shelves of shops it is possible to meet carrots with big conic or cylindrical root crops and also - absolutely tiny, more juicy and sweet on taste.
Types and grades of carrots
Carrots belong to sort of plants of family Umbrella. In the nature two types of carrots - carrots wild and carrots sowing meet (sometimes sowing carrots are considered as subspecies of wild). Both of them represent the biannual plants in the first year of life developing the socket of leaves and root crop, and for the second year forming seeds.
Root crop of wild carrots - rough, rigid, white or orange color. The root crop of carrots of sowing campaign has more juicy, crispy pulp.
Sowing carrots are subdivided into fodder and table. The first is grown up on forage to the cattle, and the second - for people.
Irrespective of look and grade, the root crop of carrots has the extended form and can be painted in the most various colors. Types of carrots meet white, yellow, orange, red and violet root crop.
History of cultivation
Have begun to cultivate carrots long ago - more than four thousand years ago. It is supposed that for the first time have begun to grow up this root crop in Afghanistan. In the same place ancient selectors managed to remove the first table grades on the basis of wild carrots. Very few people know that initially carrots were grown up not for the sake of juicy root at all, and because of fragrant leaves and seeds. It has occurred because wild carrots are rich with essential oils thanks to which it differs in specific smell. People have begun to eat carrots root crops only in the 1st century AD.
Variety of carrots in form
Grades of table carrots which are cultivated now are rather varied in form. Hybrids Alenka, Altair, Anastasia, Basel, "Vitamin 6", "Nantes" have root crop cylindricity. The form of root crop of grades "The queen of fall", "Moscow winter", "Shantene", Dobrynya, "Indian summer", Karini approaches conic. Carrots which are called by "Baby carrots" - "Crumbs carrots" are popular in Europe and the USA now. It represents young root crops of the tiny size. Such carrots - more juicy and sweet. In form its root crops remind small cylinders. For the first time "Crumbs carrots" have appeared on shelves of shops in 2010 in the United States. To popularize this grade, producers of carrots have installed at the American schools automatic machines - by analogy with the automatic machines selling drinks and sweets.
Application
Carrots contain rich complex of vitamins and are used in medicine for prevention of avitaminosis. From seeds of this plant receive number of the medicines which are applied at treatment of atherosclerosis and diseases of cardiovascular system. The essential oil received from carrots seeds is used in cosmetology.