36 



HOW TO GROW 



and moderately good seed may in some seasons 

 amount to complete success in the one case, and 

 total failure and chagrin in the other. 



ENEMIES OF THE CAULIFLOWER. 



Young seedlings of the cauliflower are, like other 

 plants of the family to which it belongs, subject to 

 attacks by ground fleas, the best remedy against 

 which is moisture. Dusting with powdered tobacco 

 has a good effect. The exhalation of ammoniacal 

 fumes from the decaying dung protects the plants 

 against this enemy as long as they remain in the 

 hotbed. After planting out, the roots and root 

 stalk are often harassed by various larvse, which 

 either hollow out the stalk and main roots and 

 cause the plant to rot or wilt, or occasion swellings 

 at the root head, which prevent the free circulation 

 of the sap. A liberal admixture of caustic lime 

 dust to the soil in a circle round the plants is a 

 good preventive against these latter pests. Super- 

 phosphate of lime, so directly beneficial to a 

 healthy and robust growth of the cauliflower and 

 cabbages, will no doubt answer the purpose. Sifted 

 coal ashes and ashes, upon the whole, have a pro- 

 tective influence, both when intermixed with the 

 soil or applied to the leaves. Some radishes sown 

 between the plants seem to attract various larvse 

 and insects, and thus serve as an easy preventive 

 against several pests. Plants attacked in any way 

 ought at once to be removed, to prevent their 

 becoming a nursery for spreading the pests. 



