CABBAGES AND CAULIFLOWERS. 



25 



suitable for growing cauliflowers to perfection. 

 Conveniences for artificial watering are, it will be 

 understood, of great advantage, especially in years 

 of drouth. The success with cauliflowers depends, 

 however, greatly upon the right choice of varieties. 

 This year, for instance, we have in this country 

 suffered from drouth to an extent not known of 

 for the last score of years, and yet I have seen 

 a surprisingly grand field of cauliflowers, of an 

 improved strain of the early dwarf Erfurt variety, 

 grown in a stiff, clayey soil, very dry in the sur- 

 face, not in the best state of cultivation, and with- 

 out any artificial watering whatever. The roots 

 of the plants were "puddled" when planted out; 

 that was all. I do not believe that seven per cent., 

 perhaps not five, of the said field of thirty or forty 

 thousand plants failed to make fine, large, solid, 

 beautifully white and typical heads. Other varie- 

 ties have either utterly failed or made stunted, 

 imperfectly developed heads. 



As already stated, the soil for cauliflowers should 

 be very rich, but it is not advisable to use fresh 

 stable manure, as this promotes attacks of larvse 

 on the roots. Well-rotted manure will answer 

 very well, but the best results are generally 

 obtained by a liberal application of water-closet 

 contents or other fluid manure immediately before 

 the digging of the ground. A handful or two of 

 lime flour stirred well into the soil at each planting 

 place is greatly to be recommended. It prevents, or 

 tends to prevent, attacks of grubs or larvae on the 



