440 VILLA GARDENING part v 



sown as late as May, and a successional character can generally 

 be given by planting out at different times and in different 

 positions and situations. 



Transplanting. — This should be done as soon as the plants 

 are large enough ; and if the land they are intended to occupy 

 is not ready, transplant thickly in any vacant border temporarily 

 rather than permit them to remain in the seedbed to get leggy. 

 Generally most cultivators contrive to have the early sorts put out 

 in good time from the seedbed without any intermediary shifting, 

 though it will benefit the late sorts, which are expected to stand 

 the winter, if they are transplanted once before being settled 

 finally. Transplanting has a tendency to increase the fibrous 

 roots of a plant, and lends a firmer hardier growth, which is of 

 advantage to a plant not quite hardy. The power to withstand an 

 extra degree or two of frost may constitute the difference between 

 life and death in a crop of Broccoli in our climate ; and I contend 

 that the cultivator has the power in his hands to influence growth 

 to this extent at least. Another way of increasing the hardiness 

 of a crop of Broccoli is to plant in firm land. 



I have planted Broccoli when the ground was so hard that the 

 ordinary dibble had to be discarded and the holes made with an 

 iron bar, and such plants do exceedingly well. The hole is usually 

 made by one man, another man and a boy following with the plants, 

 filling in the hole with nice mellow surface-soil and watering the 

 plants in. Let the weather be ever so diy, the plants soon get 

 established, and when rain falls they grow away rapidly, making 

 short sturdy leaves and strong well-knit legs. Broccoli, especially 

 the late kinds, are often planted too near each other, under the 

 impression that they afford shelter to one another. This is a 

 mistake ; thick planting really operates in the opposite direction. 

 To receive full justice Broccoli should be allowed not less than 3 

 feet between the rows, and 2 feet from plant to plant. I have 

 often planted large growing kinds 4 feet apart, and then had the 

 leaves meet in the autumn. When planted too near, the bottom 

 leaves are always weakly and poor ; frequently they turn yellow 

 and die for want of ah-, and when the cold weather comes the 

 hearts and stems of the plants are left without the shelter which 

 Nature has provided for them. 



iNTERCRorpiNG. — In small gardens, where the most has to be 

 made of every foot of land, the system of planting the Broccoli 

 and other winter gi-eens among the Potatoes is frequently adopted. 

 I have planted a part of our stock in this manner for many years 

 from necessity, and many of my friends do the same thing. If 

 the plants have plenty of room I do not think much sacrifice is 



