CAULIFLOWER 



235 



Fig. 81. Cauliflower. Almost every plant produced a head. 



Cornell University showed that ground beds (Fig. 81) 

 were much superior to raised benches with bottom heat 

 for the forcing of cauliflower. A smaller percentage of 

 the plants on the benches produced marketable heads, 

 which were also smaller and poorer in quality. It is more 

 difficult, in the raised beds, to maintain proper soil mois- 

 ture conditions, which is one of the most important 

 factors in growing cauliflower. With proper care the 

 crop can be grown successfully on raised beds, but it is 

 a much more certain proposition in ground beds, to say 

 nothing of the expense of constructing and repairing 

 benches. 



Varieties. Only two varieties, Erfurt and Snowball, 

 (Fig. 82) are used to any considerable extent for forcing. 

 They are early and compact growers, and they produce 

 beautiful heads of the highest quality. The character of 

 the strain selected is of much greater importance than the 

 variety, for the best strains of either variety are excellent 

 for growing under glass. 



Seed. Experienced growers fully realize the necessity 

 of using good seed. They have learned that the use of 



