34 THE CAULIFLOWER. 



sion, but where one has tested a variety and found 

 it adapted to his needs, it is often quite as well to 

 rely upon it almost entirely, and make two or three 

 sowings for a succession if desired. Even a single 

 sowing, well timed, will generally furnish cuttings 

 through the most favorable part of the season. If 

 the seed is of the best quality, and the plants are 

 of uniform size, and all set at the same time, neither 

 too early nor too late, on soil of uniform character, 

 they will in a good season form most of their heads 

 within a short space of time, sometimes within a 

 week; but generally in a given sowing, a few heads 

 will form very early, then the bulk of the crop will 

 come on during three or four weeks, while the re- 

 mainder will hang on until late, perhaps until win- 

 ter. No other crop is so much affected in time of 

 maturity by the character of the season as the 

 cauliflower, and even the most experienced growers 

 sometimes fail in getting them to head at the time 

 desired. 



The time for starting the plants for the early 

 crop in the North is in February, and the method 

 is described in full in another chapter. They 

 should be set out, as stated, as soon as heavy freez- 

 ing is past, say about the middle of April. The 

 most unfavorable time of any, and yet the time 

 when the inexperienced are most likely to set them, 

 is about the middle of May, for early varieties set 



