1 8 THE BOOK OF VEGETABLES 



Culture and Varieties. — Many good gardeners assert 

 that it is necessary to sow the seed in heat or under 

 glass in February or earlier in order to secure a strong 

 plant for May planting. There are diverse views, and 

 a great deal depends on when the plants are placed 

 in their permanent quarters, the state of the soil, and 

 the help given to the plants at the start if the weather 

 is unfavourable. There is no need to sow under glass. 

 I have sown on a warm border late in February in 

 the open, covered with loose litter till the plants were 

 freely above ground, and as soon as large enough, that 

 is, as soon as the fourth leaf showed, planted them in 

 their permanent quarters, first drawing drills so that 

 moisture was readily conveyed to the plants. There is 

 a great gain in this early planting, especially in light 

 soils, as the seedlings get a good roothold before the 

 heat and drought of July cripple the plants. It may 

 be thought that such early planting is a waste of 

 ground, but we sow a single row of spinach between ; 

 the latter being cleared off before the space is required 

 for the sprout. Instead of spinach, such crops as 

 lettuce, turnip-rooted beet for early salad, or anything 

 that matures before mid-summer may be used. If land 

 is not at liberty, it is a good plan to prick out the 

 seedlings in April in lines six inches apart, and then 

 to lift carefully with a trowel into their permanent 

 quarters, drawing drills as previously advised. In no 

 case is it advisable to plant Brussels sprouts on land that 

 has just been, cleared of a similar crop ; I mean any 

 Brassica, especially cauliflower or strong-rooting kales. 

 As previously noted, large gross plants are not best by 

 any means, and frost soon cripples them. I like plants 

 grown as hardy as possible from the start, as if too 

 forward before winter the growth is rank, and the 

 flavour is much impaired. A very good way to obtain 

 early plants for April or May planting is to sow in late 



