of the Germs Brassica. 99 



to give the Latin name, has a very pecuUar organization, 

 the bunches of flowers, instead of being loosely spread into 

 a pyramidal form, like those of a panicle, are close from their 

 basis, and form a kind of regular corymb ; to which is added 

 a second character that may be considered as a natural con- 

 sequence of the first ; the pedicles, from being tightly kept 

 together before their time of blossom, lose their shape, grow 

 fleshy from adhering to each other, and in general produce 

 nothing but the rudiments of abortive flowers ; the fleshy pe- 

 dicles are in general cut for use before the opening of the 

 flowers, so that, contrary to all other varieties, where the leaves 

 and stalk are alone taken for culinary purposes, in this, the 

 floral footstalk is the only part eaten. This race comprehends 

 two varieties, viz, tlie Cauliflowers and the Broccolis. 1st, 

 The Brassica catdiflora, CAo?/^e?/r ( Cauliflower), has generally 

 a short stem, with white ribbed oblong leaves ; the pediclesf 

 uniting at the head of the primary branches into thick, short, 

 irregular bundles, in the shape of a corymb : it appears to 

 be a degeneration of the Brassica oleracea costata, Chou a 

 grosses cotes. The French gardeners have three sub-varieties 

 of the Cauliflower, Le dur, the hard, also called English Cau- 

 liflower, Le semi dur, the semi-hard, and Le tendre, the soft 

 or tender, which is most forward in growth. These sub- 

 varieties, founded on different degi'ees of firmness of the foot* 

 stalk, are far from offering a constant character, and seem 

 principally to depend on the nature of the ground, and in- 

 fluence of the climate. The second variety is the Brassica 

 cymosa, Broccoli; its stem is more elevated, the leaf-nerves 

 less prominent, the pedicles altogether less thick and close, 

 they are also longer, so that on becoming fleshy, they resem- 

 ble in shape the young shoots of Asparagus ; hence the name 

 ofAsparagoides, given by the ancient botanists to the Broccoli. 

 The Broccoli seems to be a degeneration of some variety of 

 Cavalier Cabbage. It is divisible into two sub-varieties: 1st, 

 The common or white Broccoli ; 2d, The purple or Maltese 

 Broccoli; and each of these are again divided into several 

 kinds by the practical gardeners. 



[To be continued.] 



XXIII. On difftrent Modes ofvoorling Coeds, and of ventilate 

 ing the Works. By Mr. John Farey, Mineral Surveyor. 



To the Editors of the Philosophical Magazine arid Journal. 



TPHE subject, on which " A Friend to the Pitmen" has ad- 



-*■ dressed you, from Alnwick, in Northumberland, in p. 30 



of vour January Nimiber, is not (juitc so new to your [liiges, 



K 2 ' as 



