March 24,1887. ] 
JOURjsaL of horticulture and cottage gardener. 
225 
5118 
COMING EVENTS 
\\A 
24 
TH 
Royal Sooiety at 4.80 p m. 
25 
V 
Quekett Club at 8 P.M. 
26 
s 
Crystal Palace Spring Show. 
27 
SUN 
5th Sunday in Lent. 
2S 
M 
28 
To 
£0 
W 
Society of Arts at 8 P.M. 
AN EIGHT-MONTHS SUPPLY OF BROCCOLI. 
AYING been requested to state “what 
varieties of Broccoli to select, when to sow 
the seed, and how to grow the plants so as 
to maintain a succession of heads from the 
time Cauliflowers fail until they are again 
available,” I cannot do better than record 
my experience by which the desire indicated 
has been attained. Without being biassed in 
any way I shall adopt the catalogue style, dividing the 
sorts into sections, and detailing the treatment necessary 
or advisable in each case. It will be seen by the heading 
that I intend to keep closely to the text furnished, as in 
reality it is only necessary to have Broccoli rather more 
than six months in order to meet the Cauliflowers; but 
we prefer to have them longer in season, for reasons that 
will become apparent as we go on. 
September to February inclusive. This is rather a 
long season for one variety to cover, but Veitch’s Autumn 
Self-Protecting is fully equal to the emergency, and on 
the whole may be said to be the most valuable introduc¬ 
tion of late years. Seed sown late in August or early in 
September will give a supply of plants suitable for winter¬ 
ing in frames in common with Cauliflowers, and being 
duly planted out in the spring on good well-manured 
land the maj >rity will yield gtand white heads hard to 
distinguish from Autumn Giant Cauliflower, and in close 
succession to the latter, also autumn-sown. For ordinary 
purposes there is no necessity for this extra trouble, but 
those who are in the habit of exhibiting collections of 
vegetables in August and September may, if they give the 
plan a trial, be amply rewarded for their pains. Our 
principal sowing of this variety is made in a frame early 
in March, but those who require fewer plants may raise 
them either in pans or boxes of common soil, taking care 
to well harden off the plants before they become drawn 
and weakly. As soon as they are fairly strong, or about 
4 inches high, the best of them are pricked out 4 inches 
apart on a warm border, the soil of which is tine and 
light. They may need a little protection for a few days, 
and should be finally transplanted when strong enough to 
take care of themselves. These we usually plant between 
the rows of early Ashleaf Potatoes, the latter being dis¬ 
posed 3 feet apart. They are planted with a trowel, and 
if they have been moved carefully they soon grow strongly. 
When the Potatoes are lifted the soil is w r ell worked up 
to the stems of the Broccoli, this steadying and otherwise 
materially assisting them. 
Late in April or early in May more seed is sown on 
an open border, and the plants obtained are placed out 
on warm borders or on high ground in rows 30 inches 
apart and 2 feet asunder in the rows. Being a compara¬ 
tively tender variety it is almost useless to plant it in cold 
No. 352 .—Vol. XIV., Third Series 
positions where an early frost might greatly injure it. 
We commence cutting from the first raised plants early 
in October, and from one large breadth the supply can be 
drawn sometimes till late in December. To be certain of 
a continuous supply, however, directly severe frosts are 
imminent, or say late in November, all the most advanced 
plants should be lifted and stored closely either in frames 
or cold houses. We have a large pit in a second early 
vinery, and this being filled early in December with 
Veitch’s Broccoli fully grown and ready for forming 
heads, these soon root strongly in the rich soil given 
them, and afford us a continuous supply of valuable heads 
until well into February. It is during the midwinter 
months that Broccoli heads are most scarce and most in 
demand, hence my dwelling at length upon the subject. 
All cannot dispose the principal portion of their stock in 
a house, but in most gardens some pit or frame can be 
devoted to them from November until February, or a 
rough frame might be extemporised for their protection. 
Prior to the introduction of the Cauliflower like Veitch’s 
Autumn, the White Cape, also a delicate variety, was 
sown in April and again in May, and the majority of the 
plants being lifted and stored in frames did good service. 
No dependance can nowadays be placed on the stock of 
this variety, and we have ceased to grow it. Webb’s 
Autumn treated as advised in the case of the White Cape 
has done us good service. 
Snow’s Winter White, if sown early, will hereabouts 
grow to a great size, but the majority of the heads are 
useless monstrosities. We now sow the seed early in May 
on an open border, the plants resulting being put out on 
firm fairly good ground and frequently in succession to 
early Peas. Under this treatment they make sturdy 
hardy growth, and if part of the batch are lifted and 
stored as soon as space can be cleared of the old stumps 
of Veitch’s Autumn, a good succession will be maintained 
even in such a winter as we are passing through. Should 
the winter be mild Snow’s ought to be available in the 
open ground in February and March. Osborn’s Winter 
White is not hardy enough, otherwise we should grow it 
extensively. It may be raised in the open ground in 
March and April, and being of neat growth may be 
planted in 2 feet apart and rather closer in the rows. 
It is in season during February and till April, according 
to the weather experienced, and the quality is good. This 
sort also pays for lifting. 
March to June. Some time in March or early in 
April seed should be sown of sorts that are required for 
use in about a year, for this is something near the time 
the majorities of varieties are growing. At different times 
we have had Webb’s Perfection, Cooling’s Matchless, 
Carter’s Mammoth, and Veitch’s Spring White available 
from the beginning of March till the end of the month, 
but this year all are later in heading in. I mention so 
many varieties in order to meet the seed lists of as many 
readers as possible. We find one variety ample, and 
prefer Veitch’s Spring White. With us it is quite hardy, 
and we shall commence cutting from it by the time this is 
in print. To succeed this and for affording a long suc¬ 
cession, sometimes lasting from the middle of March till 
May, we have the invaluable Leamington. The seeds of 
this variety, in common with either or all of the just 
mentioned sorts, may be sown in the open ground thinly, 
either in drills or broadcast, the aim being to secure as 
many sturdy plants as possible, these invariably doing 
better service than those long, weakly plants too often 
placed out. Penzance Early White is sometimes included 
No 2008. —Yol. LXXVI., Old Series. 
