300 VEGETABLE GARDENING 



plants may be set from the latter part of June until 

 August I, as the locality and the condition of the soil 

 may permit. The general practice is to plant early 

 enough so that the heads will form before the hot midsummer 

 weather, and to start the late plants so they will begin 

 heading with the lower temperatures of the early fall 

 months. Although the crop may be and is matured at 

 midseason, the task is regarded as difficult, because head- 

 ing does not progress so satisfactorily in hot, dry 

 weather. The planting distances are the same as for 

 early and late cabbage. 



390. Cultivation. — Clean tillage is required to prevent 

 weed growth and to conserve moisture. In the small, inten- 

 sive plantations, wheel hoes are used extensively ; in field 

 culture, the spike-toothed cultivators are most popular. 



391. Protecting the heads. — The market pays the high- 

 est prices for pure white heads, but these cannot be 

 produced without protection from rain and sunshine. 

 This is accomplished by fastening the leaves over the 

 heads in such a manner as to shed rain and to prevent the 

 sun's rays from reaching the delicate heads. The opera- 

 tion should be attended to when the heads are small. 

 Sometimes several leaves are brought together and tied. 

 Some growers prefer to break or bend a number of out- 

 side leaves over the heads. This plan is not very thor- 

 ough. Toothpicks are effective in fastening the leaves. 



392. Marketing. — As cauliflower is one of the most 

 delicate and easily damaged vegetables, it should be 

 handled with the greatest care. It is often packed in bar- 

 rels, which are far from being ideal packages for such 

 a perishable product. Crates are better and are gain- 

 ing in popularity. They usually hold about two dozen 

 heads, but the one-dozen crate provides still better carry- 

 ing conditions. Basket hampers are used sometimes. 

 (See Figure 75.) The product should, go to market in 

 the most dainty condition ; paraffin paper wrapped about 



