VAEIETIES. 127 



In the Erfurt group the production of early varieties 

 has been carried farthest, owing doubtless to the 

 character of the climate, as well as the greater skill 

 employed in their selection. The early varieties, 

 particularly of this group, are characterized by 

 having comparatively small, narrow and upright 

 leaves, and a rather short stem. A partial list of 

 varieties, arranged in the order of earliness, follows 

 the catalogue. 



Advance, see Laing\s Early Advance. 



Al-\baster. — Introduced to the general public 

 by Johnson & Stokes in 1890. In their catalogue 

 for that year these seedsmen say: "Our Early 

 Alabaster was originally a sport from the 

 finest German strain of the selected Dwarf 

 Erfurt, one extra fine head appearing some 

 ten days in advance of any other in the crop of one 

 of the largest and most expert cauliflower growers 

 on Long Island in 1881. The seed of this was 

 carefully saved by him, and from it our stock has 

 been brought up." 



The seed of this variety has all been grown on 

 Long Island, and it was all taken by Long Island 

 gardeners until 1889, at which time there were said 

 to be hundreds of acres of it in cultivation in Suffolk 

 County, where it originated. [See Frontispiece.] 



Algiers, (Probably includes Large Algiers and 

 Large Late Algiers'). — Vilmorin, in 1883, described 



