io THE BOOK OF VEGETABLES 



name of Grange's Early, and is most reliable for garden 

 culture. Of newer introductions, Sutton's Michaelmas 

 White, Christmas White, and the well-known Snow's 

 Winter White are all. good, but the last-named stock 

 is not always reliable. For many years I have grown 

 the Walcheren for an autumn supply, and this with 

 the other varieties noted above will furnish a full crop 

 if sown in April and May, sown very thinly, so that 

 strong plants are secured. What is most important, 

 the seedlings should be planted early, and not allowed 

 to get weak or drawn in the seed-bed. 



Winter Broccoli. — We now come to the second division, 

 or what is termed the mid-winter supply. This is less 

 reliable than the earlier, as a severe frost in December or 

 January will cripple the tender growth of plants just 

 forming heads, and the crop will be lost. Hence it 

 is essential to grow those kinds with sturdy, short stems, 

 as they are less susceptible to injury. There are some 

 good selections of winter broccoli. First come the 

 Penzance, a famous Cornish variety, and the Sandring- 

 ham Winter White, very hardy if the true stock is 

 grown. Unfortunately, broccoli stocks so soon become 

 mixed unless carefully grown, that it is necessary to 

 select with care. Another very fine type for winter is 

 Superb Early White ; this has proved one of the best 

 and most reliable kinds we have grown. At the end of 

 the winter the Sprouting Broccoli are most useful, both 

 in the Purple and White forms, the first-named being 

 the hardier of the two, as it is of dwarfer growth and 

 more compact. 



Spring Broccoli. — This section provides the supply from 

 March till June, which is a critical period of the year, 

 during which the choice of good vegetables is limited. 

 The seed of these should not be sown too soon ; May 

 is quite early enough, providing the seedling plant is 

 not crowded in the seed-bed, and is grown as advised 



