BROCCOLI. 



185 



either variety, when touched by frost, are the most ten- 

 der and delicate of all the cabbage tribe, and it has al- 

 ways been a matter of wonder to me, why their cultiva- 

 tion has not been more general in this country. In 

 Britain they are used very extensively as a winter vege- 

 table. The most popular German variety is Purple Bore- 

 cole. The most popular English variety is Cottager's 

 Kale, very hardy and profitable, more weight being grown 

 of it in the same space than of any other variety. 



BROCCOLI, (Brassica oleracea var.) 



We persist in growing under the two distinct names of 

 Broccoli and Cauliflower, plants which at best are noth- 

 ing more than very nearly related varieties. The main 

 difference between them is, that what we call Broccoli, 

 is planted for fall use, while that which we call Cauli- 

 flower is planted for spring or summer use ; though in 

 this respect they are frequently reversed without seeming 

 to mind it. For fall use the seed should be sown in the 

 early part of May, which will give plants large enough to 

 be set out in July. Further south the sowing of the seed 

 should be delayed from four to six weeks later, and 

 the plants be set out correspondingly later. Here we 

 put them out in July, though further south it may be 

 delayed to August or September. In the mild autumn 

 weather of those latitudes this vegetable may be had in 

 perfection from November to March, while with us, if 

 planted out in July it matures during October and No- 

 vember. The plants are set at two and a half to three 

 feet apart, and as a hundred plants are all that most 

 families would use, it is cheaper to buy them, if in a 

 section where they are sold, than to raise the plants 

 from seed. It requires an abundance of manure. The 

 varieties are : 



White and Purple Cape. — There is no difference in 



