BRASSICACEOUS PLANTS. — THE CAULIFLOWER. 



99 



sow a fourth sowing about the middle of 

 July, choosing a warm border, or throw- 

 ing up ridges of soil and sowing the seed 

 on the south side of the ridge, which 

 ridges, of course, should run in an east 

 and west direction. When the plants 

 come up, they are thinned out to the dis- 

 tance of 9 inches or a foot apart, and 

 allowed to remain without transplanting. 

 In November nice little heads will be 

 produced ; and if not convenient to cover 

 over the ridges with a roofing of boarding 

 or thatched hurdles, as a protection from 

 frost, the plants may be taken up and 

 treated as noticed below. This late sow- 

 ing seldom succeeds in Scotland, unless 

 in warm, dry localities, such as along the 

 shores of the Forth, where little rain or 

 snow falls, and, from proximity to the 

 sea, frost is seldom severe. 



Half an ounce of seed is sufficient to 

 sow a seed-bed of 36 square feet. Thick 

 sowing should be avoided. 



The method of sowing and planting is 

 in all respects the same as for early 

 cabbages (ivhich see.) 



The following ingenious method of 

 keeping up a supply of cauliflower is 

 communicated by Mr Henry Baily, of 

 Nuneham Park, Oxfordshire, to " The 

 Journal of the London Horticultural So- 

 ciety," vol. v. p. 103. Mr Baily is one of 

 our most enlightened horticulturists ; his 

 method has both novelty and excellence 

 to recommend it, and as his situation is 

 not one of the warmest in England, similar 

 success may attend those who follow his 

 example. The true Walcheren sort only 

 is used. " The first sowing for the spring 

 crop is made about the 25th of August, 

 and another, for smaller successional 

 plants, a week later, upon an open bor- 

 der. As soon as the plants are large 

 enough they are transplanted," that is, 

 pricked out ; " and as soon after that as 

 they have made a few roots, they are 

 again transplanted into small pots, called 

 sixties : they are then placed in an open 

 airy situation (either a frame, vinery, or 

 peach-house, which is dormant), simply 

 requiring protection from severe frosts ; 

 as they fill the pots with roots, larger ones 

 are provided, and early in February the 

 first crop, or handlight division, is planted 

 out in a south border ; the holes for their 

 reception having received a barrowful of 

 rotten dung, the mould is re-turned, form- 



ing a little hillock, on which these plants 

 are placed, and covered with the glass till 

 they begin to be established. The smaller 

 plants are reserved for a successional 

 crop, potted into larger-sized pots, and 

 placed in temporary frames, covered with 

 mats in severe nights, but fully exposed 

 in fine genial weather. This crop is gene- 

 rally planted out in the alleys of the as- 

 paragus beds, completes its growth before 

 the tops of the asparagus become too 

 high, and then has its duration prolonged 

 by the shade of its branches. 



" For the next crop in succession I sow 

 in pots, about the middle of February, 

 subjecting the plants to the same routine 

 of potting, &c. Other sowings are made 

 at intervals between this and the 20th of 

 May, when the last crop is sown, which 

 should be planted on a south border, for 

 autumn use — extending up to Christmas, 

 with protection. 



"For the February supply, an early 

 white broccoli, grown by Mr Wilmot, of 

 Isleworth, is invaluable. It is sown the 

 end of May, and should be taken up and 

 protected in a cool vinery, as our winters 

 will not admit of the production of cauli- 

 flower at that season, as the fine climate 

 of Naples does. 



" The roots should never be allowed to 

 get matted in the pots, or the plants to 

 suffer any check. It will readily be con- 

 ceded that our object in the cultivation 

 of those culinary vegetables, whose stems, 

 leaves, or flowers are eaten, is to grow 

 them in the most rapid and luxuriant 

 manner, avoiding any check at any period 

 of their growth : any curtailment of those 

 resources of plants which have a tendency 

 to increase their luxuriance, and conse- 

 quently render them more tender, must 

 therefore, be detrimental, and it is to 

 avoid checking the growth of the plant 

 that the practice of potting is adopted. In 

 dry weather, when the plants are drawn 

 out of the seed-bed, and planted with a 

 common dibber, receiving daily dribblings 

 of water, many will perish, and all will be 

 materially injured. By the mode I have 

 described this is avoided, and labour saved 

 in the end. After planting out, a copious 

 watering is given, either in the evenings 

 of bright days or in dull and cloudy wea- 

 ther, when it is not rapidly evaporated." 

 Such a mode as this is well adapted to our 

 northern climate. 



