BED 



[ .135 ] 



BRO 



13. Spring White. Syn., Close-leaved 

 White, Cauliflower Brocoli, Neapolitan 

 White, Naples White, Large Late White, 

 New Dwarf, Late White. In perfection 

 during the months of April and May; 

 not so hardy as the preceding, but very 

 desirable for late use. Sow at the same 

 time as the preceding. 



14. White Danish is good, hardy, and 

 dwarf. Sown in mid-April, it is ready 

 the May following. 



15. *Walchereii Brocoli. W T hite ; ex- 

 cellent. Sown the third week in April ; 

 in season from the end of August through- 

 out September. Sown in May, it is in 

 season during December and January. 



Time and mode of Sowing. The times 

 for sowing the varieties are specified 

 under each ; but we will add that, for a 

 small family, we have found the follow- 

 ing sowings and varieties are sufficient 

 to keep up a supply from the beginning 

 of October to the end of May : 



Sow Early Purple Cape and Grange's 

 Early Califlower Brocoli the second week 

 in April, and the first week in June. The 

 produce will be fit for table during Oc- 

 tober, and until the middle of December. 

 Sow Green Close-headed the first week 

 in April. The heads will be ready in 

 November, and until January ends. Sow 

 Dwarf Brown the second week in April. 

 It will be in production from February 

 to end of April. Sow Sulphur-coloured 

 and Spring White the second week of 

 April. Their heads will be ready during 

 the April and May following. 



Each variety should be sown sepa- 

 rately, and the sowing performed thin ; 

 the beds not more than three or four feet 

 wide, for the convenience of weeding, 

 which must be performed as often as 

 weeds appear, as they are very inimical 

 to the growth of this vegetable. The 

 seed must not be buried more than half 

 an inch, and the beds be netted over, to 

 keep away the birds, which, especially 

 in showery weather, are very destructive. 



Pricking out. The plants are fit for 

 pricking out when they are two or three 

 inches high. Do it during warm, showery 

 weather, and set them six inches apart 

 each way, and water every night until 

 they have taken root. They must have 

 four or five weeks' growth before they 

 are again moved, or not until they have 

 leaves nearly three inches in breadth. 



Planting. 'When planted out, they 

 must be set, on an average, two feet 



asunder each way ; in summer a little 

 wider, in autumn rathei closer. Water 

 to be given at the time of planting, and 

 occasionally afterwards until they are 

 established. During the droughts of 

 summer it may be given plentifully, with, 

 the greatest advantage. They must be 

 hoed between frequently, and the mould 

 drawn up about their stems. 



Protection in Winter. To those crops 

 which have to withstand the winter in 

 the open air, salt is beneficially applied, 

 as it preserves them from being frosted 

 in the neck. This application preserves 

 their roots from being worm-eaten ; and 

 so does pouring soapsuds between the 

 rows, which application is also very be- 

 neficial to the plants. The salt should 

 be sown over the bed, in a dry day, in 

 autumn, at the rate of ten bushels to the 

 acre. 



To preserve the winter-standing crops 

 from destruction by severe weather, a 

 small trench is made, in the first week of 

 November, at the north end of each row, 

 in which the adjoining plant is laid so 

 low, with its head towards the north, 

 that the centre of its stem at the top is 

 just level with the surface of the ground, 

 the root being scarcely disturbed; it is 

 then immediately watered, and its roots 

 covered with more mould. Thus every 

 plant is in succession reclined ; and, in a 

 few days, it is scarcely perceptible that 

 they have been thus treated, though it 

 certainly checks their growth. Before 

 the arrival of snow, a small hillock 

 must be raised round each plant, to sup- 

 port its leaves, and prevent their being 

 broken. If snow accompanies severe 

 frost, advantage should be taken of it, 

 and the plants be heaped over with it, 

 which will afford them an effectual pro- 

 tection. 



To obtain Seed. Such plants of each 

 variety must be selected, in March or 

 April, as most perfectly agree with their 

 peculiar characteristics, and are not par- 

 ticularly forward in advancing for ssead. 

 As the stems run up, some gardeners 

 recommend the leaves to be taken away ; 

 but this must be injurious. Mr. Wood, 

 of Queensferry, N.B., is particularly 

 careful that no foliage appears on the 

 surface of the head. He always lifts* 

 his plants, and plants them in another 

 bed, watering them abundantly, as this, 

 he finds, prevents their degenerating or 

 producing proud seed; and, when the 



