BRUSSELS SPROUTS. 55 



To save seed. Wood, already mentioned, selects the 

 largest, best formed, and finest heads, taking particular 

 care that no foliage appears on the surface of the head s : 

 these he marks, and, in April, lays them by the heels 1:1 a 

 compound of cleanings of old ditches, tree leaves, and 

 dung. When the head begins to open or expand, he cuts 

 out the centre, leaving only four or five of the outside 

 shoots to come to seed. Lifting, [taking up,] he says, pre- 

 vents them from producing proud seed, as it is called, or 

 degenerating. Caled. Hort. Mem. vol. ii. p. 267. Aber- 

 crombie says, broccoli seeds degenerate in this country, 

 [England,] and that the best seed is obtained from Italy, 

 London. The common directions are, in substance, as 

 follow : 



Reserve a few of the largest heads of the first crop, 

 stripping constantly off all under shoots, leaving only the 

 main stem to flower and seed, and tie them to strong stakes, 

 to prevent their being broken by winds and heavy rain. 

 Care should be taken, that no other sort of cabbage is suf- 

 fered to go to seed near them. 



Use. The same as the CAULIFLOWER, which see in its 

 alphabetical order. 



BRUSSELS SPROUTS. Brassica oleracea.The 

 Brussels sprouts produce an elongated stem, often four feet 

 high, from which sprout out shoots, which form small 

 green heads, like cabbages in miniature, each being from 

 one to two inches in diameter, and the whole ranged spi- 

 rally along the stem, the main leaves of which drop off 

 early. The top of the plant resembles that of a Savoy, 

 planted late in the season ; it is small, and with a green 

 heart of little value. Van Mons says, (Hort. Trans, vol. 

 iii.) " If this vegetable be compared with-any other, which 

 occupies as little space, lasts as long, and grows as well in 

 situations generally considered unfavourable, such as between 

 rows of potatoes, scarlet runners, or among young trees, it 

 must be esteemed superior in utility to most others." Ni- 

 col considered it deserving a, more general culture in Scot- 

 land. 



Use. The sprouts are used as winter greens ; and at 

 Brussels they are sometimes served at table, with a sauce 

 composed of vinegar, butter and nutmeg, poured upon them 

 hot, after they have been boiled. The top, Van Mons 



