CABBAGE, CAULIFLOWER, AND KALE 35 



of late excellent seed has been produced in the Puget 

 Sound region. The climate there is especially favorable 

 to the growth of Cauliflowers. The best strains of Cauh- 

 flower seed cost five dollars an ounce wholesale, but an 

 ounce will yield more than two thousand plants. Other 

 strains are listed at half this price, but in this case the 

 best is cheapest; because it yields a greater percentage 

 of salable heads. 



The CauHflower is essentially a cool-season crop. In 

 certain regions where the summer climate is cool and 

 moist, the crop can be grown successfully all through the 

 season. Such regions are found near the sea coast or 

 the great lakes or in mountainous localities. In other 

 places where the summer is hot and dry, it is necessary 

 to plan to grow the crop either early or late. For the 

 former the plants are started under glass in February or 

 March, hardened off in early spring, and set out when 

 the ground is in good condition. Such crops mature in 

 early summer and are harvested before the heat and 

 drought of midsummer. For this crop early varieties 

 . are planted. 



The late crop is started in seed-beds outdoors and 

 planted in June, maturing in early autumn. A chief 

 danger of the summer heat is the burning of the delicate 

 heads, so that the late crop escapes this because the 

 heads are not formed until late in summer or early in 

 autumn. It is desirable, however, to tie up the outer 

 leaves around the heads by means of raffia or bast, thus 

 insuring better blanching and cleaner heads. 



