574 BRITISH HUSBANDRY. [Ch. XLVI, 



sliould however, if possible, be avoided. With regard to soil, we have heard 

 it asserted that " clay is the best." The vegetable, however, grows wild 

 upon the sandy shores of our Southern coasts ; and, as indicated by its na- 

 tive situation and habits, we believe that most gardeners prefer ground for 

 its culture of a light and sandy nature, for if [planted upon clayey land we 

 are told that its flavour is rank and disagreeable. 



Cauliflower-seed is sown about the 24th of August. When the seedlings 

 are large enough, they are transplanted into warm, sheltered places, to 

 stand the winter ; and, if they survive, are re-planted in open order in the 

 months of April and May, A second seed-bed is sown in April, whence 

 plants are supplied to yield heads in autumn ; being placed in their final 

 stations in July and August. 



The earliest cauliflowers come into use about the 10th of May; but 

 these are nursed under hand-glasses all winter. The glasses are disposed 

 in a rank, on a rich border of soil in a sheltered place ; four or five of the 

 strongest plants are dibbed in within each glass. The glasses are raised in 

 front everv day, and shut down on nights. About the 20th of March the 

 plants wilf have filled the glasses, which must be then raised on brickbats to 

 give room and permit the plants to be earthed up, and, if necessary, well 

 drenched with manured water; soon afterwards the glasses are laid aside. 

 Cauliflowers require very rich ground, and, if they can be kept through 

 the winter, succeed very well, cultivated as the common cabbage. 



Everv kind of hrocoli is acceptable as a winter vegetable. Small quanti- 

 ties of the seeds of Grainge's Early Cape, Late Purple, and Cauliflower- 

 brocoli, should be sown about the middle of April; and from thence 

 transplanted in rows, 2^ feet apart, upon well-dunged and deeply-digged 

 ground, in July. Here the plants receive hoeing and earthing-up as they 

 advance in height. The Cape sort will probably yield heads before, and 

 the other sorts after Christmas. 



Dwarf kidney-heans may be planted on the ground on which radishes 

 have been raised, or that of any other crop coming off" about the same time, 

 afier it has been well digged and dunged, if necessary. They are planted 

 ill drills thirty inches from each other, tlie seeds being placed two inches 

 apart. Besides being a delicate green vegetable, they are prized as a pickle. 

 Like the runner, they require to be kept stripped of their first pods to 

 encourage after-crops. 



The artichoke is a horticultural luxury, which may have a place in the 

 garden of a farm-house, and, like asparagus, when once planted, re- 

 mains prolific for many years, if properly managed. The ground intended 

 for artichokes should be trenched, and a good dressing of dung digged in 

 afterwards. Young plants are obtained in April, by slipping off" suckers 

 from old stools. These suckers are planted in rows, four feet apart, and 

 the plants two feet asunder in the row. These will yield small heads 

 in the autumn of the first year, and full-sized ones in the second. Although 

 the artichoke is a luxuriant-growing plant, the roots are liable to be da- 

 maged by frost in winter : they therefore require an autumn dressing, in 

 which wreaths of dry litter are laid around each stool, and the ground 

 dioged between, but laid in ridges covering the litter and place of the roots, 

 whereby wet is drained off and frost repelled. Thus secured, the plants 

 remain all winter ; and, about the end of March, they receive a spring 

 dressing: this is done by digging away the ridges from about the plants, 

 opening round the stools, and pulling off" all the small suckers, leaving 

 only five or six of the strongest to grow up to produce heads. There are 

 tv/o sorts, the green and pi/rple globe, — the latter being accounted the best 



