AMERICAN HOME GARDEN. 135 



attained its largest diameter, but before it gives any indica- 

 tions of becoming loose or open. 



For the benefit of the cook and the consumer, I remark that 

 it should never be boiled with other vegetables or with meat, 

 but in fair water, or milk and water, with a little salt, being 

 careful not to overcook it say boiling it twenty minutes or 

 less. A bag-net, which is useful in boiling all green vegeta- 

 bles, will be found especially so in cooking cauliflower. It 

 may be eaten with drawn butter or gravy, as fancy dictates. 



The imperfect heads of both cauliflower and brocoli, or the 

 full heads divided for the purpose, make handsome and pleas- 

 ant pickles. See page 167. 



It is often difficult to obtain cauliflower seed of good stock, 

 and upon this almost every thing depends ; but where good 

 stock can be obtained, and the soil is favorable, there are few 

 garden crops more profitable. 



CELERY. 



French, Celeri. German, Selkrie. Spanish, Apia. 



WHITE SOLID. RED GIANT. 



BRIEF DIRECTIONS. 



Sow upon the surface of very light, rich soil, and rake light- 

 ly in. Keep watered and shaded from the strong sunshine. 

 When the plants are three or four inches high, prepare trenches 

 two to four feet apart, a foot wide, and a foot deep ; dig into 

 the bottom plenty of rotten manure, and set the plants six to 

 eight inches apart, a single row in each trench. Continue to 

 shade them until started, and gradually earth them up as 

 they grow. 



Time : sow from March to May. Set out from May to July 

 in New York and the North generally. 



At the South, sow in June and July. Set out in August 

 and September. 



There are various kinds of fancy celery, and diversities of 

 opinion as to their merits, but the continued general cultiva- 

 tion of the white solid would seem to prove that, on the whole, 



