40 



QUERIES AND ANSWERS. 



them at night, when they are put out, are useful. It should be observed, 

 however, that success is very uncertain in dry localities. In Pennsyl- 

 vania the cauliflower seldom heads well unless under glass, or in cold 

 frames. But there is little difficulty in having fine cauliflowers when 

 planted in frames under glass, at close of Winter, so as to advance them 

 ahead of the early Summer heat. The late varieties mature in Autumn, 

 and are sown at the same time, and managed similarly to cabbage. They 

 do best in localities where the atmosphere is damp and saline, as on the 

 coast. We may add that cauliflower can only be grown on rich, well-tilled, 

 well-watered soil, and that it can hardly be overfed. 

 Kokl-Rabi. 231. Q. What is kohl-rabi? 



A. This plant, used both for table and for cattle feeding, is a cabbage in 

 which the cultural development has been directed to the stalk, not to the 

 leaf. The enlarged stalks, taking the globular form of turnips, are more 

 hardy and nutritious than turnips. 



Any good soil will produce a crop, the plants for which may be grown 

 like cabbage in seed-beds for transplanting, or sown in permanent posi- 

 tion in three-feet rows. 



Sow the seed for table use at any period when cabbage may be sown. 

 Drill in rows at two feet and thin to six inches. 



For cattle feeding drill the seed in Midsummer for Autumn develop- 

 ment. Yield 300 to 400 bushels to the acre. 

 Egg Plant. 232. Q. Give cultural directions for egg plant. 



This seed is generally sown under glass and transplanted to the field two 

 or three weeks after corn-planting season. The plants are set in rows of 

 five feet and at three feet in the row. The land cannot be too highly fer- 

 tilized for this crop — very short, thoroughly rotted stable manure or simi- 

 lar preparation is best ; strong manure, or hot. rank manure, is unsuitable. 

 Sow in hotbeds or other protected place early in the Spring ; when up 

 two or three inches transplant into small pots (which plunge in earth), so 

 as to get stocky, well-rooted plants, and late in the Spring, or not till the 

 commencement of Summer, unless the weather be warm, transplant into 

 thoroughly worked, rich and recently well-manured ground. A good 

 plan is to open a deep, wide trench, filling it nearly with manure ; restore 

 the earth and plant therein, placing the plants three feet apart each way. 

 The seed does not vegetate freely ; repeated sowings are sometimes neces- 

 sary. It is almost useless to attempt the culture of egg plant unless the 

 proper attention be given. In growing the egg plant in the Summer and 

 Autumn mouths in Florida, great trouble is sometimes experienced in 

 getting a stand of plants owing to the excessive heat and beating rains. 

 This difficulty can be largely overcome by shading the ground where the 

 seed is sown. If sown in beds, the shading may be accomplished by 

 means of frames covered with seed-bed cloth, or by blinds of slats or 

 common boards properly supported over the beds to cut off the direct rays 

 of the sun. If the seed is sown where the plants are to remain (a bad 

 practice) the shading may be done by using palmetto fans or leaves, plac- 



