CRUCIFERIL LXXXIII. BRASSICA. 



237 



shew flowers too soon, and to guard them from early frost, a leaf 

 or two is broken down over them. On the approach of settled 

 frost in December or January, all the pots are taken up and re- 

 moved to a frame-pit or shed, where they can be sheltered from 

 the severity of the weather, but they should have plenty of air 

 when it is mild. By this method a supply is preserved for the 

 table in the hardest winters. Brocoli always succeeds best if 

 planted finally from the seed-bed ; if planted oftener the head is 

 less in size, and runs much sooner after it forms, and even 

 general crops should never be pricked out. The seeds of the 

 third crop are sown in a frame or under hand-glasses, and about 

 the third week in October the plants become strong enough to 

 remove as in the two former crops. 



2 GREEN CAPE or AUTUMNAL BROCOLI. This sort differs 

 but little from the preceding except in the colour and in the 

 heads, as well as the plant proving in general larger. The leaves 

 are long and narrow, much like those of Cauliflower ; they are 

 little waved, and consequently have a smooth appearance. The 

 veins and mid-rib are green. The head, which has some resem- 

 blance to a Cauliflower, is of a greenish-white colour, and is 

 usually somewhat covered by the leaves. These two sorts are 

 very sportive, running much into each other, and have a strong 

 tendency to degenerate, yet are quite distinct, and when so are 

 very beautiful. The greatest care should be taken in sowing 

 the seeds from plants that are very true. This remark applies 

 generally to all sorts. 



3 GRANGE'S EARLY CAULIFLOWER BROCOLI. If this sort is 

 sown at three different times from the beginning of May until 

 the end of June, it will bear heads in succession from Michael- 

 mas to Christmas, if the weather is not severe. The leaves 

 covering the head defend it from slight attacks of frost, they 

 have long naked foot-stalks, are wider and shorter than those of 

 the Green Cape, and lobed at the base, but not much waved ; 

 the veins and mid-rib are whitish-green ; the head is large an'l 

 quite white. The plants should be planted two feet asunder each 

 way. This kind will amply repay the expence of cultivation. 



4 GREEN CLOSE-HEADED WINTER BROCOLI. This is a good 

 sort, apparently a seedling from the Green-Cape, which it closely 

 succeeds in coming into use. The plants are dwarf, with spread- 

 ing leaves, which are moderately indented, numerous, much 

 waved, and large ; the veins and mid-rib are white ; the flowers 

 grow exposed, nearly resembling that of the Green-Cape in ap- 

 pearance, and does not attain a great size. The peculiarity of 

 this sort is that it continues to bear during the whole of the winter, 

 if the weather is mild. A single plantation made from seeds 

 sown in May, Ronalds found to yield heads fit for use through 

 the months of November, December, January, and February. 

 Plant from one foot and a half to two feet distance. 



5 EARLY PURPLE BROCOLI. This is a very excellent kind, of 

 a deep purple colour, if the true sort ; it is close-headed at first, 

 afterwards it branches, but it is apt to come green and too 

 much branched, especially in rich ground. The plants are from 

 2 to 3 feet, high growing, strong ; the leaves are much indented, 

 of a purplish-green colour ; they spread out wide, but not long, 

 though the stalks are so ; the head is quite open from the leaves ; 

 small leaves are sometimes intermixed with the head, the plants 

 produce sprouts or flowers from the axils of the leaves. When 

 this kind is sown in April it begins to produce heads in Novem- 

 ber, and continues bearing heads and sprouts throughout the 

 winter ; if sown in June, it produces abundance of sprouts in 

 March and April. 



6 EARLY WHITE BROCOLI. The heads of this sort are of a 

 close texture, and of a pure white colour. It grows to about 3 

 feet in height, with erect, concave, light-green, and nearly entire 

 leaves. To obtain fine early heads of this sort, the seed should 

 be sown in February or beginning of March on a slight hot-bed. 



The plants when about 3 or 4 inches high, must be transplanted 

 into beds of light rich earth 3 or 4 inches apart, and defended 

 from the frosts and cold nights by a mat covering ; they will be 

 strong enough to plant out finally at 2 or 3 feet distance by the 

 end of April ; under this treatment they will produce beautiful 

 heads in November, and continue to do so until Christmas, if the 

 weather is tolerably mild. This sort, as well as several others, 

 is sometimes cut in considerable quantities by the market-gar- 

 deners previous to an expected frost, and kept in sheds or cellars 

 for the supply of the market. 



7 DWARF BROWN CLOSE-HEADED BROCOLI. This sort, from 

 its colour, is supposed to have sprung from the sulphur-coloured 

 Brocoli, from which, however, it diners in coming in earlier, as 

 well as in the shape and colour of the heads ; the leaves are also 

 broader and shorter ; they are small, not much waved, dark- 

 green, with white veins ; they grow upright, and do not cover 

 the head at all. Most of the heads are green on their first ap- 

 pearance, but soon change to large handsome brown heads. If 

 this kind be sown about the middle of April, it is in use through- 

 out March and April. Two feet distance every way is sufficient 

 for the plants when put in. 



8 TALL LARGE-HEADED PURPLE BROCOLI. This sort grows 

 from 2 to 3 feet in height, and produces large purple heads. If 

 sown towards the end of March, it will prove a useful kind in 

 March and April following. The plants require to be 3 feet 

 asunder, in good ground. 



9 CREAM-COLOURED or PORTSMOUTH BROCOLI. This kind ex- 

 ceeds all the others in size ; the heads are of a buff or cream- 

 colour, very compact and firm ; the leaves are large and broad, 

 with white veins ; they spread out widely, but the small centre 

 leaves cover the flower. A head of this kind was sent by Mr. 

 Oldacre to the Horticultural Society from Spring Grove, Brent- 

 ford, that measured 2 feet in circumference, although it was 

 quite close. If seeds of this sort are sown in April, they will 

 produce heads in the following February, March, and April. It 

 bears near the ground. The plants should be 3 feet asunder. 

 Ti;is kind merits general cultivation. 



10 SULPHUR-COLOURED BROCOLI. This is a hardy and valu- 

 able sort ; if sown in April it produces in the following April 

 and beginning of May, fine, compact, conical, sulphur-coloured 

 heads, some of them slightly dotted with purple. The leaves 

 have long footstalks, are much indented, of a bluish-grey-colour. 

 Two feet asunder is sufficient for the plants. 



11 SPRING WHITE or CAULIFLOWER BROCOLI. This sort 

 grows very robust, with large flat narrow leaves, which have thick 

 veins ; the leaves encompass and compress the head, so as to 

 render it generally invisible even when fit to cut, which is a 

 great preservative from the frosty mornings common in the 

 spring months. If the seeds of this kind are sown in March, 

 and finally planted out at 3 feet asunder, these, if in good 

 ground, will produce very fine heads perfectly white throughout 

 the months of April and May of the following year. 



12 LATE DWARF CLOSE-HEADED PURPLE BROCOLI. This is 

 the latest purple Brocoli, being in perfection throughout April 

 and the greater part of May. The plants seldom rise above a 

 foot in height ; the flower at first shews small and green, but 

 soon enlarges, and changes to a close conical purple head ; the 

 leaves are short and small dark-green, with white veins, much 

 sinuated, deeply indented, and forming a regular radius round 

 the head, giving the whole plant a singular and beautiful ap- 

 pearance. The seeds of this kind should be sown in April. 

 Plant finally from one and a half to two feet asunder. 



13 LATEST GREEN, or SIBERIAN, or DANISH BROCOLI. This 

 is the latest and hardiest of all the Brocolis, for the severest win- 

 ters will not destroy it. The leaves are much waved and in- 

 dented, long, and narrow, with a tinge of purple colour on the 



