86 



THE PRACTICAL GARDENER. 



[Feb. 



MANAGEMENT OF CAULIFLOWERS, 



Cauliflower-plants in frames should have plenty of air every 

 mild day, by entirely removing the glasses. 



Towards the end of the month transplant some of the strong- 

 est plants into the place, where they are intended to remain. 

 Plant them in a rich spot of ground, allowing them thirty 

 inches, or a yard distant each way. It will be necessary to 

 choose a sheltered warm spot for this crop, and also to shelter 

 them occasionally. 



Cauliflowers under hand or bell-glasses, should also be 

 thinned out, where there is a superfluity ; that is, if there be 

 more than four plants under each glass, all above that number 

 should be removed. Observe to draw up the weakest, and let 

 four of the strongest remain under each glass, and raise some 

 earth up round their stems at the same time. The plants 

 which are taken up should be transplanted to another shelter- 

 ed spot of ground, allowing them sufficient room to come to 

 perfection. 



In removing cauliflowers, it is common with those gardeners, 

 who are obliged to make the most of their ground, to sow, on 

 the same spot, a crop of spinach and radishes, which turns out 

 to good account, without in the least injuring the growth of 

 the cauliflower-plants ; for by the time they begin to advance 

 towards perfection, the radishes and spinach will be all taken 

 up for use. 



Sow cauliflower-seed the first week of this month, to raise 

 some plants to succeed the early crop ; but in order to bring 

 the plants up early, and to forward them twelve days or a 

 fortnight in their growth, it will be well to sow them in a 

 moderate hot-bed. 



Make the bed about twenty inches or two feet thick of dung, 

 on which put a frame ; then lay four or five inches in depth of 

 rich earth over the bed. 



Sow the seed on the surface, cover it with light rich earth, 

 about a quarter of an inch thick, and then set the glass on. 



As soon as the plants appear, let them have air every day, 

 by tilting the glass a considerable height ; and in mild weather, 

 the lights may be taken quite off" in the day-time, for they 



