CAULIFLOWER 241 
sowing made October 21 produced marketable heads 
March 29. 
Seed that is two years old produces good results. 
Three and four-year-old seed must be sown thicker to get 
a satisfactory stand of plants. 
Planting.—The distance between plants in the beds 
varies from 15 by 15 to 22 by 24 inches apart. Moder- 
ately close planting seems to be favorable to maximum 
returns. With a compact growing strain, 15 by 15 or 
14 by 16 will permit the development of good heads. 
Liberal spacing is favorable, of course, to the growing of 
large heads, and if fancy prices can be obtained for very 
large heads, it may be most profitable to grow them. A 
common distance for planting is 16 by 20 inches. The 
spacing of the plants may be at such distances as will be 
most suitable for companion crops, such as lettuce and 
radish, as discussed in the next paragraph. 
Intercropping.—A common practice is to grow lettuce 
or radishes, or both of these crops, between the cauli- 
flower plants. Sometimes radish seed is sown broadcast 
in the beds after the cauliflower has been transplanted, 
but it is better to sow the seed in rows. See page 254 for 
particulars. 
Watering.—The beds should be thoroughly watered 
immediately after the plants have been set. Thereafter 
water should be added as necessary to keep the soil moist 
to the full depth of the beds. This is unquestionably 
one of the most important factors in the forcing of cauli- 
flower. Unusual care must be exercised for at least a 
month after the final transplanting in the beds. Lack of 
moisture at the roots is certain to check the growth of 
the plants and to result either in no heads or small, in- 
ferior ones. At the same time it is equally important to 
avoid over-watering, for this may cause excessive leaf 
growth at the sacrifice of head formation. After the 
plants begin to form heads, water should be applied more 
