ORIGIN AND HISTORY. 11 



cauliflower, just as Linnseus brought the cauliflower 

 and the broccoli into one botanical variety." When 

 broccolis came to England from Italy, they were at 

 first known under the names "sprout-cauliflower," or 

 "Italian asparagus." This, however, is not sufficient 

 reason for believing that the broccolis are derived 

 from the cauliflowers, as the word broccoli was, 

 and still is, applied in Italy to the tender shoots of 

 various kinds of cabbages and turnips. 



Some recent authorities have believed, since 

 the broccoli is coarser than the cauliflower, more 

 variable in character, more robust in habit, and 

 requires a longer season, that it is the original 

 form, of which the cauliflower is only an improve- 

 ment. Thus, Vilmorin says: "The sprouting or 

 asparagus broccoli represents the the first form 

 exhibited by the new vegetable when it ceased 

 to be the earliest cabbage, and was grown with an 

 especial view to its shoots; after this, by continued 

 selection and successive improvements, varieties 

 were obtained which produced a compact white 

 head, and some of these varieties were still further 

 improved into kinds which are sufficiently early to 

 commence and complete their entire growth in the 

 course of the same year; these last named kinds 

 are now known by the name of cauliflowers." 



At the Cirencester Agricultural College, Eng- 

 land, about 1860, broccolis were produced, with 



