214 CAULIFLOWER. 



As soon as the plants are large enough, they may be set out in 

 the open garden, choosing a dull day, after a rain, if possible. 

 These will come into head during the cool and usually moister 

 weather of the latter part of September, and of the month of 

 October. If any have not formed heads when the severe freezing 

 weather begins to come on, they may be taken up and planted as 

 close together as they will stand, after removing a few of the 

 loose outer and lower leaves, in some fresh earth in a cool cellar 

 or root house, and they wUl there be very sure to form flowers of 

 delicate tenderness, from the time they are put into the cellar 

 until Christmas, or possibly later. Indeed, we esteem it very 

 desirable to have fifty or more plants that have not headed, to 

 stow away in the root house at the beginning of winter, that a 

 longer term of this most dehcious vegetable may be enjoyed. 

 Cauliflower seed that is four years old may be safely relied upon, 

 only provided that it has been kept dry. 



The Cauliflower should be used while the head is compact and 

 looks white like a curd, and indeed in this state it is often spoken 

 of as the "curd." If it be allowed to remain, the surface, which 

 is nearly smooth in this state, gradually becomes uneven, and 

 finally branches out, and runs up into flower stalks. It is cooked 

 by boiling it in water in which enough salt has been dissolved 

 to give the water a decided saline taste. This seasons the vege- 

 table much better than it can be seasoned in any other way. 

 After it has been boiled long enough to become tender, which is 

 usually from twenty to thirty minutes, it is taken up into a dish 

 and melted butter poured over it, when it is ready for the table. 



If any of our readers have not been in the habit of using the 

 Cauliflower, we feel confident that one season's trial of it will 

 make it ever after a necessary of life. 



There is not much occasion to multiply varieties, and pro- 

 bably the best for our climate are the two following : 



Early Erfurt. — This variety is especially valuable for early 

 sowing. It heads well, is a dwarf, compact grower, and tha 

 heads are of good size, with a close white curd. 



