Feb.] THE KITCHEN-GARDEN. m i27 
When those coming up in the open ground, happen to be at- 
tacked with morning hoar frosts, and likely to be a sunny mild day, if 
before the sun rises full upon them, you water them with fresh pump 
or well water poured out of a watering-pot, with the head on, to 
wash off the frosty rime, it will prevent their changing black and 
going off. 
Cauliflower Plants, 
Continue to take particular care of your early cauliflower plants, as 
directed in January, page 20, which see. Those early autumnal 
sown plants, which you have in frames, and that you are endeavour- 
ing to protect with a covering of boards and mats, &c. without the 
assistance of glass, should never have powerful sun-shine admitted 
to them while in a frozen state; for its sudden action upon these ten- 
der plants, whilst in that condition, would prove their total destruc- 
tion; therefore admit it only at intervals, when weak, until the plants 
and ground around them are completely thawed. 
The cauliflower plants, which were raised from seed sown last 
month, should as soon in this, as they may arrive at a sufficient 
size, which is about four or five inches, be transplanted into a new 
moderate hot-bed, which will greatly strengthen and forward their 
growth. 
Make the bed two feet and a half high, and put a frame on, lay on 
six inches deep of rich earth, when this is warm, prick the plants 
therein two or three inches apart, and give them a little water; as 
soon as they have taken root, give them plenty of air; and in mild 
warm days, take the glasses totally off, but let them be carefully co- 
vered every night, and the glasses only raised a little behind in cold 
weather. 
Plants thus treated will become strong and well rooted, bear trans- 
planting much better than if left in the seed-bed, and produce lar- 
ger and better heads; for by transplanting, the tap-roots are checked, 
and the plants push a number of lateral roots, which afford them 
nourishment and strength; they become short-stemmed and stout, 
and consequently more fit for a final and successful transplantation 
than if suffered to remain in the seed-bed. 
Were these to be transplanted again early in March, into another 
bed, it would be an additional advantage; it is by the neglect of this 
necessary treatment, that we have so few good flowers, for the 
plants when continued in the seed-bed till finally transplanted, be- 
come long and spindling, tender and unfurnished with roots or 
fibres; when planted out, for want of a sufficiency of roots, they are 
notable immediately to extract the necessary supply of nourishment 
from the earth, consequently become stunted, and either button, or 
grow so miserably, as never to produce a good head. 
When transplanted and furnished as above, and that the proper 
season arrives for planting them out in the open ground, they are to 
be taken up separately, with a hollow trowel or transplanter, preser- 
ving as much earth as possible about the roots of each plant, and de- 
posited where they are to flower; thus treated they will scarcely be 
sensible of the removal, will continue in a constant and regular state 
