THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 231 



In these western parts we begin to plant out cauliflowers in 

 February, but I know there are many places where it is not safe to 

 plant them out till March or April, and even then they sometimes 

 get a nip of frost that kills a great many. But it is a good rule to 

 get them out as early as possible in order that they may root freely 

 and grow to some size before flowering, for there must be a plant 

 before there can be a flower. And another matter of importance is 

 that there must be plenty of manure used — not in a heap here, and 

 then a gap with none, but regularly distributed over the ground, 

 and vigorously dug in and mixed with the soil. I have known 

 cottagers, who found it difficult to obtain manure in plentv, after 

 they have dug the ground, mark out the rows, and then draw 

 drills with the hoe, and fill those drills with the horse droppings 

 that their children bring home from the roads. In these drills they 

 insert the plants, tread them in, and give them a drop of water each ; 

 they start away well, and generally produce heads of good size, but 

 not equal to those that are grown in well-manured ground. 



In the gardens here, cauliflowers are cut nine or ten months of 

 the year, and they are consequently always in hand in some stao-e or 

 other. We sow ibr our early spring crop in October and Xovember, 

 on gentle heat, close to clean glass. The seedlings are pricked out 

 into small pots, and plunged in heat again close to the glass. 

 Others are pricked out in beds of light earth, in frames,%always close 

 to the glass. All these are grown on with as little check as possible, 

 and come in for table in April and May. We sow again in January, 

 and these are pricked into boxe;^, and nursed along in peach-houses 

 and late vineries, and by the middle of March are large plants, 

 ready to harden olf and get out of doors. Planting goes on at 

 nearly all seasons ; we select warm south borders, sunny ridges, 

 and banks looking south from February to April, after which we 

 plant on cold level ground and shady slopes till August. Thus we 

 gain warmth as we can, or avoid it when it might cause the plants 

 to button. 



As for sorts, I am no advocate for the adoption of all that have 

 names. The Frogmore Eavli/ Forchig will be useful in establish- 

 ments where pot and box culture are followed up. For successions. 

 Early London, Frfurt, Stadtholder, and Lenormands will be sufficient 

 for anybody, for the true secret of succession is management^ and 

 with this remark I shall close this short paper. 



Death of Mr. N. B. Wakd. — T]ii$ cininc:^t botanist ought not to pass from 

 amongst us without some tribute to the irood service he rendered to mankind in 

 the invention of his clo-ely-glaztd or •' Wardian" cases for the growth of plants. 

 By the introduction of tbese cases into the dwellings of all classes, Mr. Ward per- 

 formed noble service to diiFus3 tbe h^vc of nature, which was his ruling passion ; 

 and by the transport tIiroui,'h tluir agency of valuable plants, as the tea and chin- 

 chona into India, he did the state not a little service. Mr. Ward was a l^'ellow of 

 the Royal and Linnaian Societies, and his portrait, painted by subscription, is in the 

 meeting-room of the Linnajan. 



