206 



THE VEGETABLE GARDEN 



results, owing to the difficulty of protecting the plants from 

 excessive heat and drought in the early stages of their growth, 

 and, later on, from early frosts, which often mar the formation of 

 the heads. 



In England this is a summer 

 and autumn vegetable, and at that 

 season fills the position occupied by 

 the Broccoli in winter and spring. 

 The most valuable crops are the 

 early ones in spring and the late 

 in autumn. In summer they are 

 frequently unsatisfactory during hot 

 weather, and when Peas and French 

 Beans are plentiful, they are not so 

 much in demand. 



The first sowing is in a general 

 way made about August 25th, the 

 time being varied according to 

 latitude, as experience may direct. 

 In some places the first week in 

 September may be early enough. 

 Select an open situation where the 

 land is in good condition from a 

 previous manuring. If the weather 

 is hot and the land very dry, stir 

 the surface for a foot or so in depth 

 with the fork, and give water 

 enough to moisten it. Draw drills 

 9 in. apart, and sow the seeds 

 (which should have been obtained 

 from a good source) thinly. Cover 

 with nets to keep off birds ; and if 

 the weather continue hot, shade a 

 little by laying a few branches with 

 the leaves attached over the net. 

 As soon as the plants are up and are 

 large enough to move safely (which 

 will be early in November), prepare 

 one or more frames by placing a 

 layer of coal-ashes in the bottom, 

 and on the ashes, which should be 

 beaten down firmly with the back 

 of the spade, place 5 in. of light 

 rich soil. Into the bed so formed 

 dibble the plants 3 in. apart, and 

 give water to settle the soil round 

 them. During the winter the frames 

 should be fully ventilated when the 

 weather is mild, keeping out cold 



rains. In times of severe frost, 

 scatter a little dry litter or fern 

 over the lights. Sometimes Cauli- 

 flower-plants pass through the winter 

 safely pricked out at the foot of a 

 south wall, or on the south side 

 of a thick hedge, and sheltered in 

 severe weather by placing evergreen 

 branches among them. Another 

 way of raising early plants, and an 

 excellent one, is to sow in heat 

 about January ist, and treat the 

 plants as we should treat tender 

 annuals. The seeds are sown in 

 pans covered lightly with sandy soil, 

 and placed on a shelf in a house 

 where the temperature is about 60 

 at night. When the young plants 

 appear, they will occupy a position 

 in the full light near the glass, and 

 when large enough will be pricked 

 off into 6o-sized pots, one plant in 

 each pot. The soil and the pots will 

 be taken into the house to warm a 

 little before the potting takes place. 

 The plants will be grown on in the 

 same temperature till March, when 

 they will be well established ; they 

 should then be hardened off, and 

 early in April planted out. This 

 plan will not give more trouble than 

 is taken every spring with the same 

 number of bedding plants, and they 

 do not bolt, as sometimes happens 

 with the plants raised in August. 

 Still another way of raising the first 

 early Cauliflower-plants may be 

 described as intermediate between 

 the cool treatment first mentioned 

 and the warm plan last described. 

 About the middle of October sow the 

 seeds in boxes and place in a frame 

 which rests on, say, an exhausted 

 Melon or Cucumber bed, and which 

 still retains a little of the summer's 



