176 GARDENING. 



earth brought closely about the roots, which is best 

 done by pushing down the dibbler at a small angle 

 with the plant, and then bringing it up to it with a 

 jerk. This leaves no chambering (as gardeners call 

 it), no vacancy between the plant and the soil. 



The state of the weather when these operations 

 are performed is not a matter of indifference, and 

 has been a subject of controversy; some recom- 

 mending dry weather, others wet. As in many 

 other disputed cases, the truth lies between them ; 

 that is, moist weather, which is neither dry nor 

 wet, and is precisely that which is best for putting 

 out cabbages, or any other vegetable. We ought 

 not, however, to wait long for even this most fa- 

 vourable state of the atmosphere, since, with a little 

 labour, we have the means of making up for its 

 absence. If the weather be dry, water green and 

 head cabbage plants once a day; and cauliflower, 

 broccoli, and turnip cabbage plants twice a day, 

 till they have taken root. Without a good deal of 

 water, the last is apt to become stringy and even 

 ligneous ; and in Spain and Italy, where cauliflow- 

 ers and broccoli are finest, they are generally plant- 

 ed in trenches, on the very margin of little rivulets, 

 natural or artificial. 



The three last-mentioned varieties require more 

 of manure and labour, as well as of water, than the 

 others ; and in this circumstance consists the prin- 

 cipal difference of treatment in the cultivation of 

 them. The most successful method with the cau- 

 liflower race is to place them in trenches two feet 

 and a half from each other, and on layers of equal 

 parts of earth and cow-dung thoroughly mixed to- 

 gether. Whenever weeds encroach upon these, let 

 them be well hoed ; and, whenever hoed, let fresh 

 earth be brought up to the plants. For head cab- 

 bage, hoeing and earthing once a month is the ordi- 

 nary rule.* 



* Once or twice a week is preferable. J. B. 



