KITCHEN-GARDEN PLANTS. ClUP. 



weather approaches, the earth is drawn round the clumps 

 so as to form a dish for each j and, when the heads begin 

 to appear, it is the practice to pour water into these 

 dishes. If the ground be very rich, this watering is cer- 

 tainly unnecessary 5 but, the earth should be very fre- 

 quently moved round the stems of the plants, and, as the 

 intervals ought to be not less than five feet wide, a good 

 and clean digging of those intervals ought to take place 

 in the month of April. This would probably prevent the 

 necessity of watering, in all cases j and I am disposed to 

 recommend it, being of opinion that it would be more 

 efficacious for the purpose intended. Cauliflowers begin 

 to have good heads in the month of May j sometimes 

 earlier and sometimes later according to the season : and, 

 in their commencement, as well as in their duration, they 

 are the formidable rivals of green peas. To have cauli- 

 flowers in the autumn, you must sow early in the month 

 of March, in a hot-bed of no very great heat 3 and to 

 which a great deal of air should be given ; these plants 

 should be pricked out in April, in the manner before di- 

 rected, and planted out in rows when they attain the 

 proper size j that is to say, when they become strong and 

 bold plants. To have this vegetable very late in the fall, 

 and even in December, sow in the open ground, in the 

 first week in May : prick out and plant out as directed in 

 the last instance. If no hard frosts come early, these 

 will have tolerable heads in the month of November, and 

 then, if there be some of them with very small heads, no 

 bigger than a crown piece, you may, by taking the plants 

 up, and putting their roots in sand in a shed or cellar, 

 have some tolerably good cauliflowers at Christmas. I, 



