Cauliflower 1435 



care consists of having- a soil which is only medium as to rich- 

 ness, not over watered, and freely ventilated. It is desirable not 

 to hasten the growth of plants, but to produce a healthy, un- 

 checked, moderate growth. The early seed is sown about March 

 first. The seedlings should then be ready for the field May first 

 to tenth. Cauliflower plants are more tender than cabbage, and, 

 therefore, they cannot be placed outside until danger of hard 

 frost has passed. Some growers practice the method of trans- 

 planting when the seedlings are very small, placing them two by 

 two or two by three inches apart in beds or in flats. This extra 

 space will provide free circulation of air. Cauliflower plants 

 may be transplanted into paper pots, dirt bands, or other re- 

 ceptacles, and a much larger plant grown in this way; also seed 

 may be sown a trifle earlier. 



RAISING LATE PLANTS 



It is customary to prepare a seed bed on the edge of the field 

 similar to that for growing cabbage plants. The method has 

 but one advantage, and that is, it is handy. It is much better to 

 select a portion of land of greater value for the growing of the 

 crop, particularly a piece of land that is not infected with dis- 

 ease, or if infected, that could be sterilized ; also a portion of land 

 that could be protected and that is near water. The land is gener- 

 ally plowed early and worked up very fine and level. The system 

 on Long Island is that of using the planker followed by the Acme 

 harrow, then the planker, then the Acme harrow. Some men 

 instead of using an Acme harrow use a Meeker harrow. The 

 numerous small discs on this harrow make it an excellent tool to 

 finish the bed. 



Fertilizer is then applied to the bed, the amount varying. 

 Some men advise a 6-8-5 at the rate of a ton to the acre, others 

 a 5-8—8 or 4-8-8, from one-half ton to a ton to the acre. From 

 recent experiments tried out on Long Island, it seems that ade- 

 quate returns can be obtained from 1,000 pounds of a 4-8-10 

 fertilizer, thus saving half the fertilizer where a ton has been 

 used, and the seed is generally drilled in with a hand drill, the 

 rows being spaced one foot apart. Two methods are practiced, 

 one with two rows planted two feet apart and then two feet 



