232 BRASSICACEOUS PLANTS. 



necessary to guard against this as much as possible by fre- 

 quently examining the plants ; and, when any heads are not 

 naturally screened, one or two of the adjoining side-leaves 

 should be bent over the flower-head to shade it from the 

 light, and likewise to protect it from the rain. Some kinds 

 are almost self-protecting, whilst the leaves of others spread, 

 and consequently require more care in shading." Thomp. 



Taking the Crop. "Broccoli should not be allowed to 

 remain till the compactness of the head is broken, but should 

 always be cut while the ' curd/ as the flowering mass is 

 termed, is entire, or before bristly, leafy points make their 

 appearance through it. In trimming the head, a portion of 

 the stalk is left, and a few of the leaves immediately sur- 

 rounding the head, the extremities being cut off a little 

 below the top of the latter." Thomp. 



Preservation. The heads will keep well in a light, dry 

 cellar, if set in earth as far as the lower leaves. They are 

 also sometimes treated as the Cabbage, by selecting a dry 

 situation, setting out the plants late in autumn, and erecting 

 over them a temporary shed ; afterwards adding a thick cov- 

 ering of straw to prevent severe freezing. 



Seeds. The seeds of Broccoli are not distinguishable 

 from those of the Cauliflower. They, however, rarely ripen 

 well in this country, and seedsmen are generally supplied 

 from abroad. 



Use. The heads, or flowers, are cooked and served in 

 all the forms of the Cauliflower. 



Varieties. These are exceedingly numerous ; although 

 the distinctions, in many instances, are neither permanent 

 nor well defined. 



In 1861-62, a hundred and three nominally distinct sorts 

 were experimentally cultivated at the Chiswick Gardens, 

 near London, Eng., under the direction of Robert Hogg, 

 Esq. In reporting the result, he says, " It is quite evident 



