252 VEGETABLE GARDENING 



sects. Paris green and arsenate of lead may also be used 

 as poisons for flea beetles. 



327. Fungous diseases. — Leaf Spot (Cercospora beti- 

 cola) is a destructive disease to sugar beets, but it seldom 

 does much damage to the garden type. Potato scab 

 (Oospora scabies) also attacks the various types of beets, 

 and is oiten a serious disease of garden varieties. To 

 secure roots free of the scab, seeds must be planted in 

 soil free from the fungus. Rotation is necessary to 

 escape this disease. 



BROCCOLI (Brassica oleracea, var. botrytis) 



328. Character. — Botanically, broccoli closely resem- 

 bles cauliflower, although the heads are usually smaller. 

 In England, where many varieties are grown, there is 

 great variation in the leaves and general habits of the 

 plants. In this country the plants are more hardy to frost 

 than cauliflower and the heads require more time to 

 reach marketable size. The plants are also very sensi- 

 tive to heat and demand a liberal and constant supply 

 of moisture. 



329. Importance. — Broccoli is an important crop in 

 England, being grown on an extensive field scale in some 

 sections. In this country it has never been regarded as 

 a satisfactory vegetable for commercial purposes, be- 

 cause of its inferior quality compared with cauliflower, 

 and also because of the greater diiificulty with which it 

 is grown. Henderson claims that the crop fails two 

 seasons out of three, but when successful it is highly 

 profitable. Broccoli thrives best in northern sections. 



330. Culture. — It should be produced as a late crop, 

 sowed in the open some time during May and trans- 

 planted in the field about six weeks later. The plants 

 may be set 18 inches by 30 inches. The soil should be 

 deep, rich and moist. The leaves are bent, pinned or 



