210 



THE VEGETABLE GARDEN 



masters of the field. The autumn 

 crops obtained from spring sowings 

 are thinned out a little in the seed- 

 beds, and, when large enough for 

 handling, are planted where they 

 are to remain permanently. Should 

 the weather be dry at planting time, 

 a pint of water, or a little more, is 

 given to each plant, and the sodden 

 soil is soon afterwards freshened up 

 by the hoe, thus, in some measure, 

 preventing evaporation. Late Cauli- 

 flowers are nearly always inter- 

 cropped with some other vegetable, 

 such as Lettuces, French Beans, 

 Celery, Seakale, etc. Some large 

 growers, however, depart from this 

 rule, and save much labour; for, if 

 intercropping be practised, people 

 must be employed to keep down 

 weeds by means of the hoe ; but 

 when Cauliflowers alone occupy the 

 ground, horse-hoes can be freely 



worked among the rows. The Early 

 London is the variety used for the 

 first crops by most market-gardeners, 

 but some use the Walcheren for 

 that purpose. The Walcheren is 

 the kind almost entirely grown for 

 use after June, because it suffers 

 less from drought than any other 

 sort, and is not liable to "button." 

 Snow's Winter White, an excellent 

 sort, is, as a rule, regarded as a 

 Broccoli; nevertheless, it has fine 

 white, solid heads, and is largely 

 grown to succeed the Walcheren, 

 being hardier than that sort. Snow's 

 White, if sown together with the 

 Walcheren in April or May, makes 

 a fine succession to it, and comes in 

 usefully till January. Early Cauli- 

 flowers are always sent to market, 

 but those produced in summer and 

 autumn are disposed of to a large 

 extent to pickle merchants, S. 



USES. The head, boiled or pickled, is usually the only part 

 which is eaten. The Cauliflower is one of the best liked of all 

 vegetables. 



Early Dwarf Erfurt Cauliflower. A very early, very distinct, 

 and really valuable variety, but difficult to keep true to name. It 



is somewhat under middle height, 

 and has a rather short stem. 

 Leaves oblong, entire, rounded, 

 very slightly undulated, and a 

 peculiar light gray-green, which, 

 with their shape and rather erect 

 position, gives the plant some 

 resemblance to the Sugar-loaf 

 Cabbage. The head is very 

 white, but does not keep firm for 

 a long time. When exposed to 

 the sun, it soon takes a purple 

 tinge, unless protected from direct 

 strong light. " The leaves, which 



Early Dwarf Erfurt Cauliflower. at first have an Upright position 



and cover the head, later on, as 



the head increases in size, sometimes spread and recline even to 

 touching the ground. 



Early Snowball Cauliflower. This variety, a selection from 



