AND GUIDE TO THE KITCHEN GARDEN. 



95 



Time and Manner of Sowing. — Sow early in March on a bed of well pulverised rich soil, 

 j scattering the seed thinly, and covering it lightly. The plants should be thinned so as to stand not 

 I less than three inches apart, or transplanted into nursery lines, as soon as they are sufiiciently strong 

 to handle. 



Planting and aftek Management. — Plant out, not later than the middle of June, setting the 

 plants in rows from two feet to two feet six inches apart, and allowing the same distance between 

 the plants in the rows, and attend to watering as may be necessary until the plants become esta- 

 blished. Keep the ground free from weeds, and the surface open by i'requent deep stirrings with the 

 hoe. The mid-ribs of the outside leaves, when stripped and dressed like Seakale, are equal, if not 

 1 superior, to that vegetable. If the crop is intended to furnish a supply of leaves, the plants should 

 I be allowed plenty of space, so that these may have room to grow to their full size. The plants, how- 

 ever, are rather tender, and should be used or protected by scattering litter over them before severe 

 weather sets in. If it is desirable to preserve them till a late period of the year, a portion may be 

 lifted and laid in closely, where they can conveniently be covered and uncovered, as the state of the 

 weather may require. 



per p)<t. per oz. 



Couve Tronchuda 0 4..1 0 



CAULIFLOWER. 



Selection and Preparation of the Land. — The soil for this vegetable can neither he too 

 rich nor too highly cultivated, therefore select the richest and deepest ground at command. Let it 

 be trenched to the depth of two or three feet in autumn, adding a heavy dressing of rich well rotted 

 manure, ridging it up so as to expose the largest possible surface to the action of the frost, &c. 

 Where ground is scarce the summer planting wiU probably have to be made upon land from which 

 some crop has just been removed; and unless it was deeply trenched for the preceding crop, this 

 should be done, adding plenty of manure before planting. 



Time and Manner of Sowing. — For the first crop sow in the middle of August, and again 

 from the beginning to the middle of September, using the Frbgmore, Improved early London, and 

 Walcheren varieties. Make a further sowing in February, or early in March, of the Frogmore, 

 Dwai'f Mammoth, Improved early London, and Asiatic upon a slight hot-bed, or under the shelter of 

 glass ; and sow the Asiatic and Stadtholder in March, or early in April, upon the open border, and 

 again about the middle of May; and make a final sowing the first week in June, using the Walcheren, 

 Stadtholder, and Improved early London. Sow in beds of rich well pulverised soil, levelling and 

 making the smface fine ; then scatter the seed thinly, and cover it lightly with fine soil. The 

 proper time for sowing, however, depends so much upon the seasons, locality, and the nature 

 of the soil, that where a constant supply is desii-ed, it will be advisable to do it even more fre- 

 quently than we have recommended, and to make the lust sowing earlier or later according to 

 ch'cumstances. 



Transplanting and after ^Management. — The autumn sovm plants should be transplanted into 

 nursery lines as soon as they are sufficiently strong, and again early in November to the shelter of 

 south walls, or some situation in which they can be protected during severe weather by hand-glasses 

 or frames. Plant these out early in March, or as soon as the state of the weather will permit, pro- 

 tecting them when necessary by inverted flower-pots or other convenient means : these will succeed 

 the spring Brocoli. The sowing made upon the hot-bed should be transplanted early and placed 

 under the shelter of glass or hooped beds ; and care must be exercised from the time the seeds vege- 

 tate to keep the plants near the glass, and also to admit air on every favourable occasion so as to 

 secure a dwarf stocky growth ; these again should be planted out as soon as they are strong enough 

 and the weather considered favourable. Those sown in the open border should be transplanted into 

 nm'sery beds or lines, allowing about four inches between the plants, and mixing two or three inches 

 of thoroughly rotted manure with the soil, which will so adhere to the roots of the plants that they 

 [ may be transplanted without feeling their removal. When transplanted in summer every c^re should 

 j bo used not to injure the roots, and the plants must be well supplied with water until they get 

 established, as neglect in either particular will probably cause them to flower prematureh', and thus 

 occasion the loss of the crop ; and even when the plants are fairly established they must never be 

 allowed to get cby at the roots, and an occasional soaking of manure water dui-ing dry hot weather 

 will greatly benefit them. If large heads are desii-ed, the plants must be allowed a space each 

 way of two feet six inches ; but where small heads only are looked for, one foot six inches to two 

 feet will be sufficient. Keep the soil open and free by frequently stirring the surface as deeply as can 

 be done without injuring the roots. 



per pkt. per oz. 



Covent Garden (Improved early London), an excellent and very early variety . 0 6 . . 1 6 

 The Frog-more Early Forcing- (true from Turner), the best Cauhflower 



for forcing, and an excellent variety for general crop, very dwarf and compact, 



with fine large heads 1 0.. .. 



Mew £rfurt Mammotli, this variety produces immense compact heads of a 

 very superior quality; it is very dwarf and well suited for small gardens, and 



forms a fine succession to the Frogmore forcing 0 6..1 6 



Stadtholder, the best of the strong growing kinds, with large compact heads, and 



by market gardeners considered superior to Walcheren 0 6..1 6 



Asiatic, a large and very highly esteemed variety 0 6..1 6 



Walcheren, well-known, and a general favourite 0 6..1 6 



