280 TRANSACTIONS OF THE HORTICULTURAL 



thick, putting them in a hot bed with the grass side down ; plant 

 the seed in these — a gain of two weeks may be made by this 

 method. 



To get the best results with cauliflower the sun should never 

 be allowed to shine on the curd ; to prevent this bend the inside 

 leaves over the curd until the main stem breaks — this must be 

 done every day or two. Perhaps the better way is to slip a rub- 

 ber band over the hand, then gather the leaves together into the 

 hand when the band can be slipped over the leaves holding them 

 together over the curd; or the leaves may be gathered together 

 and tied with a string. Henderson's Early Snowball is the best 

 I have tried. With ordinary care ninety-five per cent will head. 

 No person who likes celery should be deterred from raising it by 

 thinking it is something difficult to grow; it is no more trouble, 

 until it comes time to handle it, than cabbage, only don't expect 

 to raise good celery (or anything else for that matter) on poor 

 ground. Plant the seed as soon as the ground will work well, 

 in April, being careful not to get it too thick; cut off the plants 

 two or three times about two inches from the ground before 

 transplanting to where it is to grow permanently. This will 

 make the plants more stocky and they will have better roots. 

 The red celery is far more solid and of better quality than any 

 other kind. I do not remember of having a single hollow stalk 

 since we have been growing the red varieties. Henderson's New 

 Rose will be found one of the best of this class. 



Those who are fond of summer squashes, such as Bush Scal- 

 loped and Summer Crookneck, will find the Vegetable Marrow 

 much the better. For winter nothing is better than Essex Hy- 

 brid ; it has all the good qualities of the Hubbard, and is no 

 trouble to grow. 



For extra early peas plant some seedsman's "first of all" 

 (and every seedsman has a " first of all," though none of them 

 are much of an improvement over the old Dan'l O'Rourke), 

 but plant early in some spot where they will get the afternoon 

 sun as well as the forenoon. No matter whether the soil is in 

 good condition or not, plant them early even if the ground is so 

 wet that you have to sit on the fence and put them in with a 

 shot-gun, for if not early they are not worth planting at all. 

 After the soil gets somewhat warm the wrinkled peas will grow, 

 and wheu one can get a sweet wrinkled pea, who wants a smooth 

 white one such as all the extra early ones are? 



McLean's Little Gem is one of the best early wrinkled peas. 

 It is of as good quality as the American Wonder and a far better 

 yielder. For a late pea of the same quality the Stratagem will 

 be found as good as any. A pea should show no white when 

 cooked. I know it is a little more trouble to prepare them for 

 the table when taken before the pods are well tilled — more pods 



