February 20. 
COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION. 
0U5 
more freely. The plantb in beds bhould now receive a top¬ 
dressing, an inch thick, of rotten dung and well-decayed 
turf, or fresh maiden soil, and the plants left with merely 
their heads uncovered. If the trouble is not considered too 
much, it is advisable, during the prevalence of dry, cutting 
easterly winds, to cover them with garden-pots, to be removed 
for a few hours during the day. The operation may appear 
tedious, but it is very frequently, by attention to what may 
be considered trifles by some, that the persevering and 
industrious amateur, or cottager, can attain success. 
I The CanialioH layers should now be planted out in the 
I open ground, or, if they are intended to be grown in pots, 
they may be planted off about the end of the mouth into 
wliat are called six’s, or such as are about twelve inches 
j wide at the top, six inches at the bottom, and ten inches 
I deeji inside, three plants to be inserted in each pot, not 
deeper than they stood before potting, and protected from 
easterly winds. 
Plants, such as Geraniums, Fachsias^Calccalarias, J^crlwiias, 
&c., that the amateur, or cottager, may have preserved during 
the winter in pits or frames, will now require repotting. 
The compost made of decayed turfy loam, the top si)it of 
roadside or pasture soil, laid in a heap, turned over, and 
chopped small, two or three times for twelvemonths, with 
an equal portion of well-rotted dung or leaf-mould, mixed 
together, will be found suitable for such plants, and when 
attention to watering, etc., is given to them, a fair share of 
success will be the result, in potting, one crock or broken 
potsherd over the hole at the bottom of the pot, with about 
! an inch in depth of the turfy part of the loam over that, will 
! be sufficient drainage; the soil to be moist, but not wet; 
I and when potted and j^laced where they are to remain, to be 
j watered, kept close, and shaded from sunbursts for ten days 
I or a fortnight, until they begin to make fresh roots, when 
they may be gradually exposed, in favourable weather, to 
more sun and air, to produce robust growth and more pro- 
I fuse bloom. 
; As the above plants are now veiy generally employed to 
I decorate the tiower-garden during summer and autumn, we 
shall only name a few good, hardy annuals that may be 
sown, viz.:— Xemophila insiyiiis, Eryshnam Pcroffsiiianum, 
I white and imrple Candytuft, Coltinsia bicolor, Clarkia indckella, 
; Gilia tricolor, and Entoca viscida. 
German and Ten-week Stocks and German Asters may now 
be sown on a gentle heat. The German Asters of last year 
were the finest that were, probably, ever seen in this coun- 
I try; the season was most propitious, and after a very general 
. failure the preceding one, doubtless they will be more 
! generally cultivated this year. ‘When two or three inches 
I high, they are transplanted, like Celery, from the seed-bed 
I into another bed, with only a few inches thick of light soil 
I and dung on a hard bottom, where they produce a mass of 
roots, and are either finally planted out where they are to 
flower, or, if wanted for pot-plaiits, they are taken up, even 
when in bloom, and being well watered they continue m 
perfection for some time. 
Lucern may be sown this month. It delights in a deep 
soil. A top-dressing of sulphate' of lime or gypsum during 
the summer makes it grow luxuriantly. Live stock prefer 
gypsumed Lucern to any other. It is best sown in drills 
one foot apart; by this means it can easily be kept clean by 
the hoc. 
Hand-hoe between the rows of Wheat; and a sowing of 
Taunton White, or Essex White, may be made early in the 
month on the sandy soils, the Turnip and Barley soils of 
agriculture. About five and-tweuty weeks until harvest will 
be sufficient, in favourable seasons, to bring forth a good 
and abundant crop. The land must be in good condition to 
cultivate winter Wheat sown in spring with success; but its 
culture, in allotments suitable for it, is an object which ought 
not to be neglected. 
The usual time for sowiuy Outs is from the beginning of 
this month to the end of April; the earlier the sowing the 
better the quality of the grain. 
The main crop of Peas, for pea soup or pig-feeding, should 
now be sown. 
As the outside rows of every crop are the most productive, 
it would prove of advantage in the allotments to plant or 
sow single rows of each sort, with sufficient space between 
them for other things—a row of Barley next a row of I’ota- 
toes, a rowofl’eas or Beans with Turnips, Parsnips, Carrots, 
or Cabbages, between a row of Wheat, and then Onions. 
By running the rows north and south, the shade from the 
j taller-growing plants would be only temporary, and of ad- 
i vantage to some crops, such as Onions, Ac.—\Y m. Keane. 
I VEGETABLE CULTUllE AND COOKERY. 
i KO. VII. 
i BBOCOLI. 
: In cultivating Brocoli, the first consideration is to secure 
j a regular succession for a supply throughout the year. Por 
a first crop the best is the Early Purple Cape, which, if 
sown in the middle of May, will come into use in August 
and Seiitember. To succeed this, either Grauye's Early 
, White, or Snow's Superb White, which is better, if sown in 
i the beginning or middle of May, will come in during October, 
and continue on till Christmas. Then follows that very 
excellent variety the Walcheren, wdiich, if sown in May and 
j June, will furnish an excellent supply of its large, tender, 
white heads throughout December and January. The next 
is Kniyht’s Protection, or J/misi/de, wdiich is a very hai'dy and 
excellent variety; and this, followed by the IVilcove, Brimstone 
and Elletslon's Mammoth, will complete the season till 
Cauliflower comes in to furnish a supply during the sum¬ 
mer. All these last-mentioned should be sowm about the 
, middle of April. 
Some cultivators have recommended the successional 
sow'ing of two or three varieties only to furnish the year’s 
’ supply; but experience has shown, that in severe winters it 
frequently happens they are completely destroyed, and 
spring crops are lost. It is, therefore, much the safer plan 
to grow those varieties which are capable of enduring such 
winters, and winch will come on in succession. 
To secure a late crop against all contingencies, sow in the 
first week in May some of the Dwarf Danish, a very hardy 
: variety; and in the end of the month, or early in June, the 
Purple Sprouiiny, and there will be little fear of disajipoint- 
: ment. 
Brocoli requires a strong, rich soil, with abundance of 
manure. The seed should be sown on a bed in an open 
situation, the surface of which has been made light and 
mellow, and then raked in. When the jilants have three or 
; four broad leaves, draw out the strongest, and prick them 
' out on another bed at six inches apart, and after they have 
made considerable strength, transplant them, in warm, 
showery weather, on a ])iece of ground which has been pre¬ 
viously well dug and manured. They should he in rows 
two feet-and-a-half ajjart, and two feet distant from each 
I other in the rows. As they advance in grow'th, earth up the 
stalks on either side with a hoe, and this will be all the 
attention requisite, except to keep the ground loose about 
^ them, and free from weeds. In winter, during severe 
I weather, the heads may be protected by breaking some of 
the leaves over them. 
To Boil Brocoli. — Strip ofi’ all the side-shoots, and 
preserve the top. Peel the sldn from the stalk and the 
shoots, and throw them into cold water. Have ready on the 
fire a stew-pan with cold water, to which a little salt has 
been added, and when it boils put in the Brocoli; let it boil 
from ten to twmnty minutes, and when the stalks are tender 
it is done enough. Take it up with a slice, that it may not 
be broken, and let it drain. 
Brocoli may be served on toasted bread placed in the 
bottom of a dish, and soaked in the water in which it was 
boiled, in the same way as Asparagus is done, and accom¬ 
panied with melted-butter in a boat. It should be taken up 
immediately it is done, and sent to the table hot, otherwise it 
is worthless. 
Brocoli Sprouts. —The Italian mode of cooking Brocoli 
Sprouts is as follows ;—Boil them in salt-and-water, and 
let them cool; when cold, dredge them with flour, fry them 
brown in butter, and sprinkle a little salt over them. Tliis 
is a wholesome dish. 
Brocoli and Eggs. —Boil the heads of Brocoli as directed 
in the first receipt; and while they arc boiling, have ready 
six beaten eggs. Put a quarter-of-a-pound of butter into a 
saucepan, and stir it over the fire till it is all melted; then 
