720 
Crops for Pickling and Preserving. 
others to step in, the grave difficulty of labour is one which 
market-gardeners must look forward to with even greater 
anxiety than ordinary farmers, as so much of their work has 
necessarily to be done by hand. Their greatest safeguard against 
foreign competitors appears to be in the employment of women 
and children. Messrs. King for some months during the pickling 
season employ as many as 1,000 hands, the greater number of 
whom come from neighbouring towns and villages ; but men 
are required for all the heavier kinds of work. 
Cauliflowers. — The extent of land on which cauliflowers can 
be successfully grown is very considerable, as, by suitable manu- 
ring and management, good crops may be obtained on light 
loams, fen loams, and even on strong loams. Cauliflowers have 
the family characteristics of the cabbages in adapting them- 
selves to circumstances very readily, and in being but rarely 
injured by insects. Hence they are met with in many districts, 
and, as vegetables, are placed on the market at almost all 
seasons, because, by taking advantage of different climates, they 
can be made to come to maturity at all times. Cornwall is the 
earliest district to send them into the market, but the Channel 
Islands and France also send them in early, and secure the best 
prices. These, do not affect the pickling trade, as it is those 
which mature in summer and autumn that are chiefly used for 
brining. 
The plants are invariably grown in small seed-beds, and 
transplanted when a fitting opportunity occurs. Those grown 
for pickling are sown in beds in the early spring, about 101b. of 
seed being required per acre. The seed-bed should be made on 
a finely prepared tilth. Deep cultivation is not desirable, as 
it has a tendency to make the roots penetrate to a considerable 
depth, whereas it is much preferable to keep them near the 
surface, as they are then not only easier to pull, 'but there is 
adhering to the stem a mass of fine fibrous rootlets which help 
the plants to strike quickly when they are moved. It is a good 
plan to distribute a heavy dressing of superphosphate on the 
surface at the time the seed is sown and to harrow all in 
together, for nothing keeps the rootlets near the top so well. 
Cauliflowers may be grown after various crops, for, as has 
been stated, strict rotation is not adhered to in gardening. For 
early gathering, land which has carried a crop of onions in the 
previous year is in high favour, as it is generally rich and clean, 
but after onions 100 bushels of soot are applied. The land is 
got into suitablo condition, and the plants are usually set 
2 feet to 3 feet square apart. It is advisable to have well- 
