142 The Canadian Horticulturist. 



Erfurt type, of medium size, early, uniform, and, in our plantation, among 

 the best ; Landreth First, of vigorous, erect habit, but having a short stem, 

 heads of medium size, white, and rather remarkable for uniformity, one of 

 the best ; Livingston's Earliest, one of the earliest, small but uniform in date 

 of maturity — a valuable consideration in a market variety ; Long Island Beauty, 

 a valuable second early sort. Only two cuttings were necessary, and every 

 plant produced a marketable head; Snowball, a moderately vigorous variety ; 

 forming small but very solid heads ; Thorburn Gilt Edge, not quite so vigorous 

 as the parent, the leaves being slightly smaller and very dense, while the stem is 

 shorter, heads small but of good form and solid, usually one of the most reliable ; 

 Danish Snowball differs little from Snowball mentioned above, very early and 

 a sure header. — W. M. Munson, Maine State College, in Bulletin lo. 



Culture of the Cauliflower. — In a general way, the culture is the 

 same as for cabbages. Early varieties should be started in the house or hot-bed 

 as soon as the first of April. Handle as needed, and set in the open field as 

 early as possible. The best soil is a rich, moist loam, but it should be well 

 drained. Like the cabbage, the cauliflower is a gross feeder and demands 

 intense culture. If growth is stopped from any cause, the heads are likely to 

 " button," or form small sections interspersed with leaves, worthless for market 

 purposes. Frequent cultivation is necessary, and it is probable that in case of 

 very dry weather about the time of heading, irrigation would be a profitable 

 means of securing a crop for home use at least. When the heads are about 

 three inches across, the outer leaves should be brought together and held in 

 place by means of a piece of twine, or raffia, that the heads may be well bleached. 

 — Maine State Agricultural Experiment Station. 



Early Peas. — Usually the advice is given to postpone sowing vegetable 

 seeds until the ground is in first rate order. This, though safe to follow for all 

 other vegetables, should not apply with full force to early peas. The extra early 

 smooth varieties, such as Dan O'Rourke, Philadelphia, Alaska, Rural New 

 Yorker, etc., (all good for the purpose), are quite hardy, and not too fastidious as 

 to soil conditions. The sooner you plant them, even if the soil is yet a little 

 sticky, or if cold weather happens to come after planting, the sooner you will 

 have green peas, one of the great luxuries of the garden. We select our patch, 

 a dry, sun-exposed spot, in autumn, and put in the seed just as soon as we can 

 have the land plowed and harrowed in spring, even if yet a trifle wet. We want 

 the ground in good condition. Plenty of manure makes good foliage and large 

 pods well filled with sweet, tender peas. On poor soil the foliage is thin, the pods 

 only partially filled, and the peas not of best quality. Peas on rather thin land 

 are one of the crops which usually pay well for the application of mineral 

 fertilizers. — American Gardening, 



