CAULIFLOWER 241 



sowing made October 21 produced marketable heads 

 March 29. 



Seed that is two years old produces good results. 

 Three and four-year-old seed must be sown thicker to get 

 a satisfactory stand of plants. 



Planting. The distance between plants in the beds 

 varies from 15 by 15 to 22 by 24 inches apart. Moder- 

 ately close planting seems to be favorable to maximum 

 returns. With a compact growing strain, 15 by 15 or 

 14 by 16 will permit the development of good heads. 

 Liberal spacing is favorable, of course, to the growing of 

 large heads, and if fancy prices can be obtained for very 

 large heads, it may be most profitable to grow them. A 

 common distance for planting is 16 by 20 inches. The 

 spacing of the plants may be at such distances as will be 

 most suitable for companion crops, such as lettuce and 

 radish, as discussed in the next paragraph. 



Intercropping. A common practice is to grow lettuce 

 or radishes, or both of these crops, between the cauli- 

 flower plants. Sometimes radish seed is sown broadcast 

 in the beds after the cauliflower Las been transplanted, 

 but it is better to sow the seed in rows. See page 254 for 

 particulars. 



Watering. The beds should be thoroughly watered 

 immediately after the plants have been set. Thereafter 

 water should be added as necessary to keep the soil moist 

 to the full depth of the beds. This is unquestionably 

 one of the most important factors in the forcing of cauli- 

 flower. Unusual care must be exercised for at least a 

 month after the final transplanting in the beds. Lack of 

 moisture at the roots is certain to check the growth of 

 the plants and to result either in no heads or small, in- 

 ferior ones. At the same time it is equally important to 

 avoid over- watering,- for this may cause excessive leaf 

 growth at the sacrifice of head formation. After the 

 plants begin to form heads, water should be applied more 



