October i, 1881.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
373 
end of August in seed-pans placed in a sheltered 
position, but allowed as much light as possible as 
soon as they germinate, otherwise the plants will 
probably become drawn and damp oil". As soon as 
they become at all crowded, they should bo thinned 
out and either transplanted into other gumlahs 
or into the open ground in a raised nursery bed, 
under the shelter of a hoogla or mat. It is certainly 
a doubtful question if much advantage is gained by 
making early sowings in seed-pans as described above, 
although it is a practice very generally adopted. One 
objection to it is the extra trouble necessary to raise 
good strong plants, and another that plants grown 
in this way never thrive so freely, or produce such a 
good crop as those raised in the open ground, and 
transplanted to the place where they are to remain 
direct from tho sced-bed. The ground in which the 
plants are to be grown can hardly bo made too rich ; 
the manure best suited to it is night soil, but in 
this country it is of course entirely out of the 
question to employ it on account of the prejudices 
of the make. The next best is goat or sheep manure, 
and where procurable should be used in preference 
to any other. Many cultivators recommend the 
old Chines e method of planting, that is to make re- 
gular rows of holes, each eight inches in diameter 
and of the same depth, at a distance of eighteen 
inches apart. These holes should be filled up with 
a rich compost made of equal parts of mould and 
manure. This is certainly an economical method, 
but should never be employed when plenty of manure 
is available. A much better plan is to make trenches, 
twelve inches wide, remove the soil to a depth of 
nine inches, then have the bottom of it well turned 
up to the depth of ten or twelve inches. After this 
four or six inches of manure should be added, which 
must bo well forked into the soil, the plants should 
then be planted in the centre of the trench at a 
distance of two feet apart, and the same space should 
divide the rows. The young plants will require to 
be shaded for three or four days, and should be 
liberally supplied with water till well established. 
The Cauliflower (Brassica oleracea botryta caulijlora.) 
The most popular of all European vegetables in this 
country, the Phool Kobee, is prized alike by all classes 
of society, oven entering, into the heterogeneous mass 
of the mild Hindoo's curry, when it comos within 
the scope of his slender purse. 
The caulillower is generally known here from 
acclimatised seed, and when really good seed is pro- 
cured will produce heads of the greatest perfection 
under good cultivation. It is generally believed that 
it is impossible to produce good heads from plants 
raised from imported seed, and even Firminger men- 
tions it in his "Manual of Gardening." From my 
own experience I should say this is quite a fallacious 
idea, although it must be admitted tho plants require 
more care and attention than those raised from 
imported seed. To grow it well it requires the richest 
of soils, with a liberal supply of root moisture 
throughout its whole growth. To insure this heavily 
manured ground is of the first importance, and liberal 
dm in p of liquid manure should be frequently applied. 
The Brat sowings should be made about tho same 
Mme M that mentioned for the cabbage, and as soon 
as the seedlings are largo enough to handle, they 
should be transplanted into a bed of light, rich soil, 
at a distance of four inches apart each way. As so jm 
as they have made four perfect haves, they may be 
again transplanted into a bed of richer soil than the 
one first employed. This time they should be placed 
nix to eight inches apart ; here they may remain until 
they are strong enough to bo planted out in the 
quarten where they are intended to remain. Should, 
QOWl l r, time and labour bo available, a third trans- 
M 
planting will even be beneficial to the plants. The 
object gained by frequent transplanting is, that it 
prevents a too luxuriant growth of the foliage, and 
induces them to heart more freely and quickly. 
When very early cauliflowers are required, 1 have 
found the following a very successful method of pro- 
ducing them :— Fill a quantity of three-inch pots with 
light, rich soil, and in the centre of each sow three 
or four seeds of any good acclimatised variety. As 
soon as these have germinated, select the strongest 
plant and remove all the others. When they com- 
mence growing freely, weak liquid manure may be 
given. As they increase in size, they should be 
continually shifted into larger pots. .Seed sown in 
this way at the end of August will, by tho end of 
the rains, have produced strong plants, nine to twelve 
inches in height, which should then be in six-inch 
pots. As soon as the weather has become quite 
settled, these should be planted out in trenches in 
the open ground as previously described, when, in 
the course of seven to eight weeks, they will produce 
fine heads. Many will probably think this is a 
laborious process, but the fact that by so doing you 
may have cauliflowers on your table quite a month 
before vour neighbours, is a victory well wor'h win- 
ning. Our native gardeners have great faith in the 
efficacy of mustard cake, or Khullec, as a manure for 
cauliflowers, and in fact for every member of the 
cabbage family. It undoubtedly is a very powerful 
stimulant, and very quick in its action. They gener- 
ally apply it when the plants are about half grown, 
by removing the soil for about six inches round the 
roots, and apply about half a pound to each plant. 
This is then covered with the soil, and a copions 
watering given. 
The best of the English varieties are— " Veitch'a 
Autumn Giant," "Erfurt Dwarf Mammoth," "Wal- 
cheren" and " Lenormand's Paris Market." 
Eus in Ui:be. 
THE PHYLLOXERA. 
(From the Gardeners' Chronicle, 20th August.) 
From a report from Her Majesty's Consul at Bord- 
eaux we extract the following : — 
Of the 2,200,000 hectares (a hectare = 2J acres nearly) 
which composed the vineyards of France. 500,000 are 
destroyed, 500,000 others are greatly attacked : it is 
a loss of more than three milliards to the country. 
The Gironde is one of the departments which has 
suffered most : one-third of the vineyards are destroyed, 
another third are badly attacked. For the very im- 
portant vineyards of the Gironde, where submersion 
is possible, it is a sure remedy, which is generally 
employed, and with invariable succe-s. In the cases 
of vineyards already destroyed, the remedy seems to 
be to reconstitute them by planting American vines 
as stocks for grafting French cuttings on, which 
plan has been the subject of satisfactory aud conclusive 
experiments for the last few years, especially iu Lan- 
guedoc. Where the vines arc not too far gone, a judici- 
ous use of sulphide of carbon is a certain means of 
preservation, aud, in most cases practicable, owing to 
the moderate cost. 
Submersion. — Tho go )d effects of submerging vine, 
yards havo been fully demonstrated, especially in the 
Gironde, as the rivers deposit a quantity of fertilising 
matter being of a muddy nature, which manures the 
1 md whilst destroying the insect ; and thus there is 
reason to believe that the gain in produce may pay 
for the cost of the operation. A* tho means of apply- 
ing tho watei varies with the local way of procuring 
it, it is impossible to lay down rules as to bow this 
should bo done. Of course it can only be employed 
on low-lying flat laud. Embankments are constructed 
