Some interesting facts about old carrots! European carrot improvement began with material imported from the Arab countries. It consisted of a purple type, called ldquoredrdquo by authors before about 1700, and a yellow type growing largely above the ground. The purple carrot played a role in France during the 14th-17th centuries, in the Netherlands during the 15th-18th centuries, and in Germany during the 18th and possibly the 19th centuries. At first the purple carrot probably was the main type grown, later its use became very limited. The yellow carrot became more generally used than the purple. It gradually spread throughout Europe and probably started superseding the purple in the 16th century. The white and the orange carrots were probably selected from the yellow. During the 17th and 18th centuries the white carrots were used in the French kitchen. In other countries they never became as popular as in France. The first orange coloured garden carrots were produced in the Netherlands. Late Horn and Half long Horn probably were developed in the 17th century, whereas Short Horn probably was produced in the 18th century. It is possible that Long Orange types fit for kitchen use were produced in Holland during the 17th century by selection from the long yellow carrot, possibly after crossing with an unpalatable but more intensely coloured red-orange type. The orange Brunsvie appeared in Germany between 1684 and 1740. Originally it had the character of a forage carrot.