20G 



CULTURE OP EARLY PURPLE BftOCOLT. 



Sowing, fhe seeds are scattered ex.ctedingly thin, in a border of 



very rich hght earth. Not a weed is suffered to appear ; 

 and when ihe young plants have from 8 to 10 leaves, which 



«uu "^ is in about a month, they are finally planted out at the 

 distance of two feet every way, in a piece of sandy loam, 

 ^hich has been well pref>ared for the j^)urpose by digging', 

 and enrich'ng it with a la/ge portion of very rotten dung, 

 frequently turned over to pick out every sort of grub, or 

 inject deposited in it. The ground is kept canstantly clean 

 by hoeing, whenever a seed leaf of any weed springs up ; 

 and the loose surface is drawn together into a heap, round 

 the stem of each plant. 



Second crop The second crop is treated exactly as the first; but the 

 'weaker plants left in the seed bed are permitted to remain 

 8 or 10 days longer, to gain more strength. They are then 

 transplanted into pots of the size called sixteens, filled with 

 very rich compost, placing fhera close to each other in the 

 shade, and duly watering the plants, till they begin to grow 

 freely. After this, the pots are plunged in the open ground 

 at two feet distance from pach other every way, and about 

 3 inches under the gene; a) level, leaving a hollow or basin 

 round each plant, to retain any water given to them when 

 necessary. By the time the pots are filled with roots, and 

 the autumnal rains render watering unnecessary, the 

 basins are filled up by drawing the earth round each plant, 

 at the same time pressing it firmly down, to prevent the 

 wind from shaking them. A few of these plants in pots 

 sometimes show flowers too soon, and to guard them from 

 early frost, a leaf or two is broken down over them. On 

 the approach of settled frost in December and January, 

 all the pots are taken up and removed to a frame, pit, or 

 shed, where they can be sheltered from the extreme seve- 

 rity of the winter, but have air when it is milder, and by 

 this method a supply is preserved for the table in the 



Transplanting hardest winters. To make brocoii succeed in pots, I find 

 by experience, that it should be potted immediately from 

 the seed bed. If it is transplanted oftener, the head or 

 flower is both less in size, and runs much sooner after it 

 forms. For the same reason, I never prick out or trans- 

 plant the general crops; and as the temperature of our 



climate 



