78 VEGECULTURE 



failure is likely to be experienced. From the time that the 

 first seed-leaves push through the soil the young plants require 

 careful, watchful attention. If kept too far from the glass 

 they will become " drawn " and useless ; if moisture is withheld, 

 or the sun becomes powerful, they will die ; and in an atmosphere 

 of too high a temperature they make rank growth and become 

 too weak for future practical use. 



The best procedure is to germinate the seeds in a temperature 

 of about fifty degrees, and allow the plants to remain therein 

 until they are well above the soil and have begun to show the 

 first true leaves. Then the boxes should be transferred to 

 cooler conditions a " cold " house wherein thirty to forty 

 degrees can be maintained, for instance. Here the plants will 

 make steady, stocky, sturdy growth. When about an inch or 

 so of growth has been attained to, each plant should be potted 

 into a " thimble " or " thumb " pot and it will be found to be 

 worth the trouble to grow on. If these small pots become 

 full of roots before planting-out time arrives, a shift into a 

 larger size will greatly benefit the plants. 



The foregoing process will appeal to those who desire to 

 produce a few really good heads of Cauliflower for home con- 

 sumption ; where plants on a larger scale are required, trans- 

 planting into boxes, or several plants in one large pot, will be 

 more convenient ; but, nevertheless, the fact remains that, if 

 a large Cauliflower of good quality is wanted, nothing tends to 

 produce such an article as " potting-up " surely will. We 

 take this same trouble over our bedding-plants and greenhouse 

 subjects why not go the full lengths where the more useful 

 vegetable is concerned ? 



Again, with an eye to the few, in opposition to the many, 

 extra large heads either for consumption or exhibition may 

 be obtained by digging for each individual plant a hole about 

 fifteen inches wide and of similar depth, filling three parts of 

 this cavity with a soil composed of such ingredients as well- 

 rotted cow or other manure, leaf-soil, loam, old hot-bed soil 

 or a rich ordinary garden soil, mixed with cow manure, will give 

 good results. Put each plant selecting an exceptionally 

 healthy specimen into the centre of the prepared station. 

 As it grows, good soil may be added and drawn up close to the 

 stems of the Cauliflower, keeping the site well moist and free 

 from weeds. Of course the ground must have been previously 

 deeply dug or trenched. A generally open situation should be 

 selected for Cauliflowers, although the immediate location must 



