518 



PRODUCTIVE FAMILY GARDENING. 



to grow cauliflowers than cabbages. It is 

 only when sowing in frames and protecting 

 under hand-glasses are resorted to, for the 

 purpose of producing early maturity, that 

 the thing becomes extravagant, because of 

 the labor necessarily expended on it. Many 

 vegetables are of the same nature ; if we 

 were content to have them in their natural 

 season, they would cost us but little ; but 

 to obtain them out of season much labor 

 and expense is frequently incurred. Sow, 

 therefore, on a warm border in March. In 

 April they will be large enough to prick 

 out, three or four inches, or say six inch- 

 es, apart ; these will have attained such 

 strength in June as to be planted out in 

 their final destination in the garden, and 

 come in well for use in the fall of the sea- 

 son. If you soAV on a slight hot-bed in Ja- 

 nuary, and when large enough prick them 

 out in a frame, but without much heat, 

 and bring them well forward by April and 

 May to plant out, you may get them much 

 earlier. If you desire to have plants to go 

 through the winter, sow in August, prick 

 out where they can be covered with a gar- 

 den-light, and stand protected all winter ; 

 but the strongest may be planted out under 

 hand-glasses, three or four under each 

 glass. In this case, great care has to be 

 taken about keeping the glasses down in 

 cold weather, and during heavy falls, and 

 taking them off altogether, or tilting them, 

 in any mild weather. As they grow large 

 enough to crowd each other under the 

 glasses, take away the weakest, and plant 

 them out in the open ground, leaving only 

 one, or perhaps two plants, to complete 

 their growth, under each hand-glass ; as 

 they show their flower the leaves should be 

 bent down, to keep the sun off, that the 

 colour may not be injured. Cauliflowers 

 should be planted out as a general crop 

 two feet apart one way, and eighteen inches 

 the other ; but under hand-glasses there 

 must be room for the hand-glasses to be 

 taken off and placed in the row when the 

 plants are at their largest size. The best 

 sorts are Walcheren, Asiatic, and Early. 



BROCOLI. 



Here is a varied and an excellent crop, 

 and occasionally a cheap one. It is, how- 

 ever, one which no poor man ought to 

 trust. Of the varieties, choose Grange's 



early white, Chappel's cream, Somers's su- 

 perb, Chappel's white Roman, Purple cape^ 

 White cape, and early sprouting. The 

 latter is the most useful. From January 

 to June this vegetable might be sown every 

 month, pricked out six inches apart as soors 

 as it is large enough, and planted w^hen 

 strong enough. In this way brocoli is ob- 

 tained from various sowings and plantings 

 all the latter part of the summer and through 

 the autumn and winter, unless it be very 

 untoward weather. The sprouting sort is 

 a very delicious and economical vegetable ; 

 it eats well with anything, gives a good 

 supply for a long period, and requires but 

 little labor. The best season for sowing: 

 all the sorts is February and March, half 

 each month. As soon as they have four 

 rough leaves, prick them out in an open 

 space, six inches apart, taking the strong- 

 est plants from the seed-bed each time ; 

 you will thus get several different seasons 

 out of each sowing. As soon as they have 

 attained the necessary strength, begin tO' 

 plant some out, either between crops of 

 other things that are coming off, or in quar- 

 ters devoted to them ; but we are always 

 anxious, as a row of anything is off tha£ 

 will admit of being replaced, to get some- 

 thing on the ground. Brocoli thus put out 

 in a moderate garden, as room is made by 

 other things coming off, must come in well 

 at some time or other, and if one season 

 misses all cannot. As soon as the plants 

 which are put out for good, begin to grow, 

 the earth ought to be drawn to the roots, 

 and after this, little or no care is neces- 

 sary. 



ENDIVE. 



This is a hardy salad, and may he culti- 

 vated in small quantities with advantage, 

 sown in April, May, and June, and planted 

 out when large enough on a bank sloping 

 to the south ; it is a fine wholesome salad 

 with beet-root and lettuce, or with red cab- 

 bage. When the plants are large enough 

 these must be blanched by tying them up 

 like lettuces, or by laying tiles or slates, or 

 flat pieces of board, on them ; one foot 

 apart all over the bed would do for dis- 

 tance at planting out, and it is very little 

 trouble. 



SEA-KALE. 



Another luxury; little or no trouble when 



