226 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ March 24,1867. 
in the lists recommended for spring use, but it cannot be 
depended upon, a moderately severe frost killing it. 
During May such excellent varieties as Cattell’s Eclipse, 
Wilcove Improved, Champion Late White, Veitch’s Model, 
Ledsham’s Latest of All, and Late Queen are usually at 
their best. We confine ourselves to the three last named, 
and could dispense with Ledsham’s. Early in May we 
find the best time to sow the seed, as if sown earlier the 
plants a-e liable to spoil in the seed bed, the site for them 
not being at liberty, while if sown much later they do not 
generally grow so large as could be wished. 
As all the Broccoli in the March to May section are 
somewhat similarly treated, we will also consider them 
together now. It is a mistake, as many have this winter 
found to their cost, to plant on either very loose—say 
newly trenched ground—or on very rich soil. In such 
positions they certainly make rapid strong growth, but 
plants thus grown cannot withstand a severe frost—their 
stems being the most vital part—and a great loss may 
easily result. The only way to save such overgrown 
pi .nts is to heel them in with their heads to the west, and 
the stems well covered with soil. This must he done 
early in November, and if properly carried out will save 
the majority. As, however, we do not follow this prac¬ 
tice, I shall leave that for others to enlarge upon who 
may have been successful in saving their breadths in such 
or somewhat similar a manner. In order to be certain 
of a good breadth of Broccoli in variety, it ought always 
to be planted in a good open position, and in succession 
either to Strawberries, Beans, early or second early Peas, 
Spinach, Lettuces, or any crop other than any member of 
the Brassica tribe, that can he cleared off in time. The 
ground having been well manured for these will be quite 
rich enough for the Broccoli, nor is it advisable to dig it. 
Planting in holes formed with a crowbar answers very 
well in some instances, but we prefer to draw drills with 
a heavy hoe, filling these with water, or liquid manure 
if procurable, and in a few hours the planting can easily 
be done with a trowel. It is also frequently advisable to 
water the seed beds a few hours prior to lifting the plants. 
In this manner sturdy well-rooted seedlings can be put 
out, which will soon take to their fresh quarters and 
gradually develope into strong yet dwarf plants. I should 
add our distances are 30 inches from row to row, and 
2 feet apart in the rows. We have several hundred plants 
treated as above advised that have escaped destruction by 
severe frosts, and I believe form the only good breadth in 
the neighbourhood, the complaint of total losses by frost 
being very general. The least injured of all is Miller’s 
Dwarf White, this variety being naturally of a sturdy 
habit; but the heads, which are fit for use in May, are 
usually very inferior to the other late sorts I have named. 
It ought to be grown in all the coldest localities. 
The latest supplies. In many districts Cauliflowers 
are not fit for cutting before the middle of June, and if 
Broccoli is to last until that time a little extra trouble 
must be taken with it. Doubtless they might he kept still 
later, or to near the end of June, but not hereabouts. 
Since the introduction of Late Queen and Latest of All 
the work of retarding has been much simplified, but one 
of the best gardeners I am acquainted with usually cut 
Broccoli in bygone years as late as the middle of June, 
with only the good old Cattell’s Eclipse to work with. 
Ilis method of culture I cannot do better than give in his 
own words :—“ The seed was sown thinly the first week in 
June, the plants being eventually put out in firm ground 
and in an exposed position. In November they were all 
dug up and relaid in a north border, a supply of small 
valuable heads being cut from them till the middle of 
June.” We cannot imitate this practice, as unfortunately 
our inside north borders are at the bottom of the garden, 
a severe frost invariably destroying any member of the 
Brassica tribe we have yet planted or laid in there. 
Another friend in charge of one of the largest gardens in 
the West of England also annually lifts a great number of 
Broccoli plants and relays in a north bonder. In addition 
to the late varieties, lie usually lifts a quantity of 
Leamington, and in this manner prolongs the season of 
this excellent sort till late in May. Our latest supplies 
of Broccoli will be drawn from June-raised plants placed 
out in succession to Strawberries in one of the centre 
quarters. These have not grown to a great size, but they 
have kept their foliage better than those raised earlier 
and planted on higher ground, and will give us many 
useful heads. Large heads are not wanted only for the 
markets, most employers of gardeners preferring neat 
close heads about the size of a cricket ball. I hope to have 
Model later than usual, this being the favourite variety 
while in season. Its close conical heads are invariably 
perfectly protected, and therefore of good colour as well 
as quality.—W. Iggulden, Somerset. 
R03E-GR0WING FOR BEGINNERS. 
C Continued from page 212.) 
GROSS SEOOTS. 
These come under the head of “disbudding,” for the amateur 
who clo3ely watches his plants will detect them while in the young 
state, and if necessary, remove them before they do any injury to 
the plant. Now, to return for a moment to fig. 34. The two thick 
black shoots there look remarkably like gross shoots. If all the 
other shoots on a plant were as old as those in this figure are at the 
base —it will be noticed that these are more than two years old —and 
these two shoots appeared early enough in the season to ripen at the 
lower part, then I should leave them t,o grow and ripen, and at the 
next following pruning time I should cut away the older shoots. 
But, as a rule, these gross shoots come up late in the year, and 
often appear on plants already well furnished with young and 
vigorous wood. They draw all the nourishment away from the 
rest of the plant, and grow quickly to an enormous size ; but when 
winter comes, the wood not being ripe, is destroyed, and the plant 
has had all the work of growing them—and all at the expense of 
its permanent part—for nothing. It is necessary, therefore, to 
watch for these gross shoots during the season of growth. If they 
come up early, and are required where they appear, let them grow ; 
but if they come late, or where there is already an abundance 
of young healthy shoots, then let them be removed at once. The 
same gross shoot3 often appear on the heads of standards or on 
climbing Roses, and the above remarks apply also to these plants. 
In the case of a standard, if the head requires to be filled up, and 
the coming shoot seems well placed for the purpose, by all means 
let it remain on the tree. In the case of a climbing Rose, there 
may be a piece of bare wall to cover; but in every case, if there be 
not time for the shoot to ripen, off with it! It is no loss to the 
plant, for if left on, it is at the expense of the other shoots, while, 
if it be removed, its substance will go to swell and improve the 
remaining branches. 
RENOVATING AN OLD PLANT. 
Sometimes casos arise where one has a lot of fine old trees, per¬ 
haps Gloire de Dijons, or other vigorous growing varieties, with 
shoots 10 or 12 feet long. To transplant these would be to spoil them, 
and though in such cases I might recommend fresh plants being put 
in, there are many who would much prefer keeping their old 
favourites. I will endeavour to give some ideas how this may be 
accomplished, and how these old plants may be made to renew their 
youth. One is a plan I read of some time ago. This is to procure 
a thick iron bar, and drive it into the ground a couple of feet or so, 
making holes in this way all round the base of the plant. These 
holes are then to be filled in with a mixture of various manures and 
soil :—I do not think anything better than my ideal Rose soil could 
begot for the purpose. The roots are brought into contact with 
this new soil, and a vig irons growth is the result. A liberal allow¬ 
ance of liquid manure, not put on in too strong a state would pro¬ 
bably complete th3 cure. I never tried this plan, but I should say 
