3T- 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [October i, i88i. 
vigorously, and produce their old familiar flowers 
freely. They can rarely be induced to set a single 
pod. Probably if grown as a dwarf plant and kept 
constantly piuched back as recommended by " Lando- 
licus, " a better result might be obtained. 
French or Kidney Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris.) 
These may be divided into two classes, namely, 
climbers and dwarfs ; the former, however, like the 
scarlet runner, will never set its pods freely in our 
climate ; dwarf varieties therefore should only be 
selected, and these, if well grown, will thrive with 
every success. They should be sown in a moderately 
shady position ; if fully exposed to the sun they not 
only grow slowly, but almost invariably become in- 
fested with a kind of fly which destroys them in the 
course of a few days. The first sowings may be made 
early in October, or as soon as the rains have ceased, 
and other sowings at intervals of ten or fifteen days 
should be made up to December. They should be 
sown in rows two feet apart, and about three inches 
dividing the seeds, which must be covered with about 
one inch of soil only. The seed, if good, will germ- 
inate in four or five days, and the plants be in 
full bearing in six to seven weeks from the time of 
Bowing. They should be grown in a free, open soil, 
moderately enriched with well-decayed manure. 
Beet (Beta vulgaris.) 
This this one of our most valuable vegetables, and 
is probably more popular in this country even than 
in Europe. It is cultivated here without any diffi- 
culty. A free, open soil suits it best, and to grow 
it to perfection a trench should be made about 
eighteen inches deep, at the bottom of which a layer 
of four inches of rich manure should be laid. This 
should then be covered up with about nine inches 
of soil, and the seeds sown in a row down the centre. 
As soon as the plants are three or four inches in 
height, they should' be thinned out to a distance of 
nine inches apart, when they may be supplied with 
a liberal dressiug of liquid manure. Treated in this 
way they form large roots and are ready for table 
in ten weeks from the time of sowing. For an early 
crop, a small quantity of seed should be sown in 
pans about the middle of August, and if they come 
ttp too thickly, should be transplanted into other pans, 
where they must be kept till the end of the rainy 
season, when they should be planted in trenches as 
mentioned above. These, however, never make such 
fine roots as those grown ir. the open ground. 
Borecole ok Kale (Brassica oleracea acephala.) 
This is the most hardy section of the whole Bras- 
sica family, and is extensively cultivated in Europe 
for winter use. In this country no object would be 
gained in cultivating them, as they would come into 
season about the same time as all the other members 
of this group, and their quality is decidedly inferior 
compared with the cabbage or savoy. There are, 
however, several very showy and effective variegated 
leaved varieties, examples of which would tend to 
enliven the monotony of the kitchen garden, or even 
mixed with flowering plants during the cold season. 
These are also as well adapted for culinary purposes 
as the ordinary varieties. 
The Bkoccoli (Brassica oleracea botrytis asparagoides.) 
The broccoli, which is really ouly a hardy class 
of cauliflowers, is very extensively cultivated in 
Europe. This is, of course, owing to the fact 
that it is hardier and better able to withstand a 
low temperature than the latter ; it is, however, very 
inferior to it in point of quality. In this country, 
"where it can ouly be grown at the same season as 
the cauliflower, it is certainly unnecessary to attempt 
its cultivation, although probably it could be success- 
fully grown under the same treatment as recommended 
for the other members of the Brassica family. 
Brussels Sprouts (Brassica oleracea bullata minor.) 
A well-known variety of the cabbage family, which, 
instead of forming a single head, produces numerous, 
sprouts, each about the size of a hen's egg, one from 
the axil of each leaf. When well grown this is one 
of the most delicate flavoured vegetables we possess. 
To eusure really good sprouts, it is necessary that 
they should be grown without a check from the time 
of sowing up to the period when they have made 
their full growth. Many experienced English culti- 
vators recommend that the seed should be sown in 
the places where the plants are to remain. This, 
although possible in England, could never be attempted 
here in consequence of the rainy season being at its 
height at the time that it is necessary that the seed 
should be sown. The best plan to adopt, therefore, 
is to raise the plants in small pots in the manure 
recommended for early cauliflowers, or the seed may 
be sown very thinly in a seed-bed under shelter ; and 
as soon as the plants are large enough they should 
be transplanted with a large ball of earth adhering 
to them, so that the roots are not injured. Their 
after cultivation should be the same as that of the 
cabbage, us, however, the lower leaves mature 
they should be carefully removed, as this will induce 
the plants to sprout with greater regularity. 
The Cabbage (Brassica oleracea.) 
Probably, with the exception of the Pea, no veget- 
able can boast of so many named varieties as the 
cabbage. It cannot, however, be said that these are 
all distinct kinds ; on the contrary very many of 
the supposed new varieties that are being continually 
introduced are nothing more or less thin synonyms 
of old well known sorts tbat have been in cultivation 
for years, although some of them, by careful selection, 
may be considered as decided improvements on those 
which they have descended from, and which they so 
closely resemble. As evidence of this I may mention 
that some two or three years since the Royal Horticult- 
ural Society of England undertook an exhaustive series 
of experiments with the cabbage, in which upwards of 
one hundred varieties were grown for trial, the result 
of which was that it was proved beyond dispute 
that there were really only sixteen or eighteen dis- 
tinct kinds, and the remainder of those tried beiDg 
either identical with the types selected, or mere cult- 
ural improvements on them. I regret I am unable 
to turn up the Society's published report, as it would 
possibly interest some of my readers. 
In England the advantage gained by growing several 
varieties is, by careful selection to have them in 
season as long as possible. In this country, however, 
where we have but one growing season for them, 
and that but a very short one, no object is gained 
in growing several varieties. The main points in 
selecting a particular kind adapted to the climate 
should be that it is of quick growth, good flavour, 
and one that, hearts quickly. 
The following are the best amongst the new varie- 
ties, and are well adapted to this country : — " Carter's 
Heart well Early Marrow," " Sutton's Imperial," 
"Sutton's Matchless," "Improved Enfield Market," 
and "Daniel's Defiance," the latter probably the 
finest of all, of quick growth, hearting freely, and 
producing immense heads often weighing from fitfeen 
to twenty pounds each, of a very delicate flavor. 
In addition to the above there are — "Enfield Market," 
" Winningstndt." "London Market," " Schweinfurt," 
"Nonpareil." Wheeler's Imperial" and " Coconut,'" 
most of whic are well known as being quick grow- 
ing kinds and of good quality. 
Culture. — The cabbage is a very gross feeder, and 
to grow it successfully it must have liberal treatment, 
and more especially so in this country where its 
growing season is much more limited than in a colder 
climate. The first sowings may be made towards the 
