BRUSSELS SPROUTS. 



55 



To save see J. —Wood, already mentioned, selects the 

 |r largest, best formed, and finest heads, taking particular 



■ care that no foliage appears on the surface of the heads: 

 these he marks, and, in April, lays them by the heels la a 



L compound of cleanings of old ditches, tree leaves, and 

 '; dung. When the head begins to open or expand, he cuts 

 (■ out the centre, leaving only four or five of the outside 

 jii shoots to come to seed. Lifting, [taking up,] he says, pre- 

 vents them from producing proud seed, as it is called, or 

 degenerating. — Ceded, Hort. Mem. vol. ii. p. 267. Aber- 

 crombie says, broccoli seeds degenerate in this country, 

 ij [England,] and that the best seed is obtained from Italy. 



■ — Loudon, The common directions are, in substance, as 

 ] folio vv^ : 



3 Reserve a fev»^ of the largest heads of the first crop, 

 stripping constantly off all under shoots, leaving only the 



, main stem to flower and seed, and tie them to strong stakes, 



; to prevent their being broken by winds and heavy rain. 



! Care should be taken, that no other sort of cabbage is suf- 

 fered to go to seed near them. 



|1 Use. — The same as the Cauliflower, which see in its 



I alphabetical order. 



! BRUSSELS SPROUTS.— oZcmcea.— The 

 . Brussels sprouts produce an elongated stem, often four feet 

 : high, from wdiich sprout out shoots, w^hich form small 

 ( green heads, like cabbages in miniature, each being from 

 j> one to two inches in diameter, and the v/hole ranged spi- 

 |, rally along the stem, the main leaves of which drop off 

 early. The top of the plant resembles that of a Savoy, 

 : planted late in the season; it is small, and with a green 

 heart of little value. Yan Mons says, [Hort, Trans, vol. 

 : iii.) " If this vegetable be compared with any other, which 

 occupies as little space, lasts as long, and grows as well in 

 ' I situations generally considered unfavourable, such as between 

 : rows of potatoes, scarlet runners, or among young trees, it 

 must be esteemed superior in utility to most others." Ni- 

 col considered it deserving a more general culture in Scot- 

 land. 



Use. — The sprouts are used as winter greens ; and at 

 Brussels they are sometimes served at table, with a sauce 

 composed of vinegar, butter and nutmeg, poured upon them 

 hot, after they have been boiled. The top, Yan Mons 



