VEGETABLE GROWING. 121 



Discussion. 



William D. Philbrick inquired of Mr. Rawson what he con- 

 sidered the best manure for earl}' cabbages. 



Mr. Eawson replied that he used commercial fertilizers liberally 

 in addition to barnyard manure. He never knew fertilizers to do 

 an}' harm. 



In answer to a question as to the quality of the Trophy tomato, 

 Mr. Eawson said that it is hard round the stem and is objected to 

 by the pickle makers for that reason, but it is a good variety for a 

 family garden. 



In answer to a desire for further information concerning cauli- 

 flowers, he said that they will absorb a great deal of manure ; he 

 never knew them to get too much. Last year they were very 

 successful ; if there was anything to object to it was that they 

 grew too well ; everybody had them, and they were too cheap. 

 They are sold by the pound to the pickle factories ; they began at 

 four cents and fell to two and a half. They are composed of 

 about seventy-five per cent water, and it requires a great deal of 

 moisture to cultivate them successfully. The year before last he 

 had six acres from which he sold $3,500 worth of cauliflowers ; he 

 devoted his steam pump to them, running it continuously for four 

 weeks, with two men by day and two to relieve them at night. If 

 he had not irrigated th'em the crop would not have brought more 

 than $1,000. In irrigating, he first ploughs the land into ridges, 

 and runs the water in the channels thus formed between the rows, 

 about once in a week or ten daj's. Cauliflowers do not show the 

 effect of diy weather until they are about to head, and if there is 

 danger of a check then the application of water will cause them 

 to go right on. Poor crops come from the lack of manure or 

 water, or from poor seed. The variety selected makes some dif- 

 ference ; the Early Paris is good, but if it grows large it becomes 

 loose. The Erfurt is very solid, and will grow in all situations, 

 and not one in a hundred will miss heading. Last year he raised 

 fifteen varieties, and found two or three Erfurts very fine and free 

 from mixture, which he saved for seed. Cauliflowers are grown 

 very extensively on Long Island ; the Algiers is the variet}^ chiefly 

 cultivated there ; it attains the weight of from ten to twelve 

 pounds, but requires a season four or five weeks longer than other 

 kinds. Cauliflowers are attacked b}^ a small black flea as soon as 



