76 CAULIFLOWER. 



mark, and it matters not whether it comes through 

 French, German, English or American dealers, it is 

 of Danish growth. It is indeed strange that the 

 finest quality of Erfurt cauliflower, with its various 

 synonyms, is only grown in the little kingdom of 

 Denmark. But, what is still more strange, the best 

 seed is only produced in circumscribed localities in 

 that little country. The country being so small in 

 extent, and of the same, or nearly the same, geologi- 

 cal formation, and with but little variation of climate, 

 as there must be when we consider that the whole 

 kingdom is not half as great in extent as the state 

 of New York, and that the highest elevation is but 

 four hundred feet, one would naturally suppose there 

 would be but little difference in its vegetable produc- 

 tion ; such, however, is not the case. On the penin- 

 sula of Jutland, which constitutes the larger area of 

 Denmark, all attempts to grow cauliflower have 

 proved utter failures. 



All the best cauliflower seed furnished to the 

 United States and other parts of the world is grown 

 in a few spots on the island of Zealand (Seeland), 

 where the climatic conditions are most favorable for 

 the perfect development of the head, as well as for 

 the production of the seed. Under the most favor- 

 able circumstances the seed crop is a very difficult 

 one to obtain, it being secured at great cost, and with 

 great risk/as will be seen by the following description 

 of the methods employed in its cultivation : 



The seed is sown in cold frames early in Sep- 

 tember, and, to carry the plants on through the 

 winter, and until time to transplant into the field the 

 coming spring, requires an amount of care and labor 

 that none but a patient, slow-going and industrious 



