426 
seeds begin to push. About three weeks after 
the plants appear above ground, they should 
be pricked out 4 to 6 inches apart, in good 
soil, in a shallow cold frame. From the time 
the plants are established till they are removed 
in spring, they should be exposed to as much 
light and air as possible. Except in case of 
heavy rain, they may be left uncovered till 
frosts occur, when the sashes should be put on at 
night. When frost continues night and day, the 
sashes must be kept close and covered with mats 
or straw; before planting out, the sashes should 
be dispensed with, in order that the plants may 
be hardened off. If any plant is affected with 
mould or mildew, it had better be removed; some 
flowers of sulphur may be scattered in the frame 
by means of a sulphurator. 
enemies should be carefully looked after, and to 
prevent their attacks a little quicklime may be 
strewed along the sides of the frame; and if 
some be scattered all over, it will do the plants | 
no harm. If only a few dozen plants are 
wanted, these may be wintered singly in 4-inch 
pots, either in a cold pit or frame, or else on 
shelves in a house heated only to keep out 
severe frosts. 
In the end of February, or as soon as the 
weather proves favourable, some of the plants 
should be taken up with good balls or moved 
out of pots, and planted out in rich well- 
manured ground, in patches of three or four, so 
that they may be covered with a hand-glass 
Slugs and other | 
THE GARDENER’S ASSISTANT. 
heat. The dung and leaves are covered to the 
depth of 9 or 10 inches with a mixture of one- | 
half decayed dung and one-half soil. Ten or 
twelve days after this is done, the Cauliflowers 
are planted, 20 inches apart, and covered with 
cloches or bell-glasses. Under each of these, four 
Cabbage-Lettuces are also planted. Some dry 
litter is placed between the glasses, and in 
severe frost they are covered with straw-mats. 
In this way Cauliflowers are obtained fit for use 
in April. 
Instead of wintering in frames, Cauliflowers 
are frequently planted out in the end of October 
or beginning of November, in patches 3 feet 
apart each way, and protected through the 
winter by hand-glasses. Six plants or more 
may be sheltered under each hand-glass during 
the winter; but with the exception of four or 
five, according to the size of the hand-glass, all 
should be removed in spring as soon as the 
weather will permit. : 
Sometimes Cauliflowers are placed in front of 
a wall in the following manner:—A trench is 
taken out a foot wide, and not so deep as in any 
way to interfere with the roots of the trees. In 
‘this about 6 inches of stable-manure should be 
placed, and covered over with rich soil. 
The 
plants should then be put in at 6 inches apart. 
In spring remove two plants and leave one 
alternately: those removed may be planted out 
elsewhere. After the Cauliflowers are cut, the 
dung put in the bottom of the small trenches 
Air should be given more or less freely accord- | 
ing to the state of the weather. When the 
plants get too high for the hand-glasses, the 
latter should be raised by placing bricks be- | 
neath the corners, or, better, by putting another | 
hand-glass on the top of the first. Dry turfy 
soil may be packed round the plants up to the 
lower leaves; at the same time a little earth 
may be drawn against the lower edges of the | 
hand-glasses, when these are raised on bricks, 
to prevent a draught of air. The top of the 
hand-glass will require to be removed when the 
plants become large, and ultimately the whole 
of it. 
Cauliflowers wintered in frames may, however, 
be obtained earlier by the following mode, which 
is practised near Paris. The cold there in 
February is generally greater than it is at the 
same period in this country; we may therefore 
properly adopt the plan, even in cold situations. 
In the beginning of February a trench, about 
18 inches deep, is filled with equal parts of dung 
and leaves, in alternate layers, to the height of 
15 inches, in order to produce a slight bottom- 
should be turned out and mcorporated with the 
soil of the border, otherwise the roots of the 
trees might be induced to run in it too near 
the surface, and consequently be liable to be 
destroyed by future diggings. 
Near London the autumn-sown Cauliflowers 
are pricked out 4 inches apart, in beds in the 
open ground, and protected by means of hoops 
and mats. In this way they are generally pro- 
tected sufficiently from frost and rain; but in 
continued severe weather the plants are apt 
to suffer from the want of light, and are then 
disposed to damp off. The labour required for 
covering and uncovering is considerable, and 
mats are not only expensive, but are soon worn 
out; glass will be doubtless found a cheaper 
covering in the end, as well as the best adapted 
for the healthy growth of the plants. 
Winter and Early Spring Sowing.—In order to 
obtain plants to form a succession to the crop 
produced by the autumn-sown plants, it is 
necessary to sow early in the season. The 
seeds are sown on a moderate hot-bed, and the 
plants reared under glass. They must not be 
