160 GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 



flower, being a plant of more delicate constitution, it re- 

 quires to be more carefully handled ; for, where the 

 Cabbifge plants in the cold frames will safely keep over 

 winter in this latitude with no covering but the glass 

 sash, Cauliflower plants require the use of straw mats 

 over the sashes, as the plant is much more easily hurt by 

 frost. In fact, in our increased experience, we find that 

 it is better not to keep the plants through the winter ; 

 those sown in February and transplanted into cold frames 

 in March, and planted in the open ground in April, as 

 recommended in the Chapter headed ''Spring liaising 

 of Cabbage, Cauliflower and Lettuce/' doing rather 

 better and costing much less in labor. The plants, 

 however, must be started early enough, so that 

 they can be set out not later than middle of April, 

 for if not rooted well before warm weather sets in, they 

 will either " button" that is, form small stunted 

 flowers Or else fail entirely to head up. Cauliflower 

 delights in a cool atmosphere, and never does well 

 when the season is hot and dry, unless complete irriga- 

 tion can be given when the plant is about half grown. 

 If this can be done the crop is certain. We ourselves 

 grew in this manner nearly an acre for many years, the 

 crop selling for an average of $1,200 per acre annually, 

 and that was before we had introduced the now famous 

 variety known as " Henderson's Early Snowball," which 

 is ahead of all other kinds in its certainty to make a 

 crop. The next in succession to this, is the "Early 

 Erfurt," which is again succeeded by the " Early Paris," 

 but neither of these in any respect is equal to the 

 "Snowball." For late crop, the varieties known as 

 "Algiers" and "Erfurt" are the kinds usually grown. 

 The plants are obtained by sowing at the same dates as 

 for late Cabbages. It is planted three feet each w r ay and 

 cultivated exactly as late Cabbages and often sells as high 

 as $25 per 100 in iNovember and December. We are of 



