424 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
September 1. 
1 below, and also the tops of some that are level with it. 
: The gallery surrounds the house, and it took me full 
five minutes to walk quietly round it. This will give 
the reader some idea of the size of this truly grand con- 
I servatory. For the first time, I had a peep into the 
heating department: there is a long tunnel and iron 
railway under the floor of the house. The entrance is 
concealed by rockwork. I was told there are seven 
] miles of iron piping to heat it. T. Applebv. 
CAULIFLOWER, AND OTHER PLANTS, TO 
STAND THE WINTER. 
It is somewhat strange that the gardening works of 
the last century, which went into the details of cropping 
and other routine work, should differ so little from the 
practice of the present day. This fact speaks, in an 
unmistakeable manner, that our boasted improvements, 
in vegetable and other produce, is much less than we 
often assume it to be, since the sowing of a certain crop, 
on a particular day, was just as likely to ensure that 
crop’s perfection, in a given time, as the same operation 
done now would do; that this absence of improve¬ 
ment is owing to the want of a judicious selection of 
seeding plants, we hardly believe; on the contrary, 
much has been done to obtain as many “ good points” 
in each family as could be done, while other qualities 
have been aimed at as well; nevertheless, the total 
of these acquisitions seem to have accomplished little 
but what had been done an hundred years ago in many 
things. True it is that the great agent of all vegetation 
remains but little altered; or, if we regard the evidence 
of aged people, the change is for the worse—we mean 
the “ seasons”—since we are told, over and over again, 
that finer and brighter summers existed in the last 
century than we are favoured with ; and if the “ old- 
fashioned” winters were severe, they might not be 
without their benefits ; as we often now have the earliest 
springs after hard winters. However, as this subject 
has, in a measure, been treated of in former chapters, 
I introduce it no further than to exemplify the fact, that 
with the “superb varieties” of Cauliflower which are 
placed before us, all assuming to come in earlier than 
its forerunner, we have not deviated more than a week 
in the time of sowing since the days of our grandfathers; 
! neither do we believe that the period of their coming 
into use has been at all accelerated. 
Now, as a good early Cauliflower is wanted to follow 
in succession the late spring Proccoli without any in¬ 
termission, it behoves the careful cultivator to give what 
attention he can to the means likely to produce such a 
result; but sowing too soon is not the most likely to do 
so, for the plant getting so far advanced during the cold 
weather, it prematurely starts into flower, or, in more 
1 practical phrase, “ buttons in March.” This, of course, 
renders it useless. Sowing too late is equally bad; for 
very small plants beiug liable to the many mishaps 
they have to encounter during a long winter, too often 
perish during its continuance; it is, therefore, more 
important to have this work performed at a certain time 
than many others of a gardening kind. Abercromby 
tells us, from the 21st to the 25th of August was the 
period most successful in his day. We have but little to 
advance against that date, beyond that another sowing 
may bo made something later; say the last few days in 
the month. We have, for many years, sown Cauliflowers 
on the 1st of September with a fair portion of success, 
j and depended on them for the principal spring crop; 
nevertheless, it is advisable to sow a few about a week 
earlier, in order to try a quantity of each, for it may 
happen that the backwardness of the season may be 
j such as will keep the earliest ones from progressing, so 
far as to endanger their buttoning, while they may come 
into use a few days sooner than the others, but this is 
uncertain; and we do not, by any means, advise large 
plants as being the most serviceable. However, both 
may be tried; and, as the importance of the crop is 
such as warrants the use of any and all means for its 
well-being, it is advisable, in the first instance, to as¬ 
certain that the seed be good; this we suppose to have 
been done before, as well in its vitality as in its 
other quality, as producing good useful heads. The 
ground, too, ought to be in the best position that can 
be obtained; and though it need not be altogether 
like a dunghill or compost-heap, yet it ought to be in 
tolerable “ good heart; ” and if it has been exposed in 
a dry state to the action of the sun, &c., for some time, 
so as to dry, and, perhaps, harden its tops to an unusual 
degree, so much the better. A good beating with the 
back of a spade ought to break it into fine particles, 
and the seed may be at once sown in beds as desired. 
If, however, the ground should be too rough to break 
easily, water might be applied; and if still obstinate, 
another piece ought to be selected, or, in default of that, 
a quantity of finer soil brought, to make a bed for the 
seed to lay on, as well as to cover it, and the beds 
sown accordingly. 
Although the seeds of this and the other members of 
the Cabbage family vegetate quickly in the hot, moist 
weather of July, if such should occur then, yet they do 
not so rapidly obey the call now, and later on are more 
tardy still, so that it is sometimes necessary to give them 
some assistance should the weather not be favourable. 
This assistance may be a glass covering in a cold, wet 
season,” or a covering of some slight material in a very 
dry, hot one ; the latter, to save them from the drying 
influence of the weather, while the delicate process of 
germination is going on; and the former, to protect that 
process from an opposite cause. This care, with the 
modes of directing it, will best show itself to the atten¬ 
tive cultivator as the season advances, so that the wants 
of the case can only be guessed at by the description of 
weather, state of the ground, and other local influences. 
Suffice it to say, that the bed of Cauliflower plants must 
be examined daily, so as to make sure that everything 
is going on well; and if the fly or other enemy to this 
tribe of plants makes its appearance, let it be instantly 
met by the remedies so often given in the case. Water¬ 
ing, of course, will have to be performed, if the weather 
be dry, but if that be necessary, some slight shading 
must also be adopted, to prevent that hardening of the 
surface so opposed to the free ventilation of small seeds. 
As a homely covering, and one that answers every 
purpose, we cover the beds with old pea-stakes, and 
occasionally scatter, very thinly, over them a little of the 
haulm also ; these are removed in dull weather, so soon 
as ever they can be dispensed with, and the plants 
thrive well so treated. Watering, in such cases, is 
but little necessary. 
Another plant, whose wants in early spring make it 
almost as necessary as the Cauliflower, may also be 
sown now in quantity—we mean the hardy varieties of 
Winter Lettuce. Usually, the small, green, cabbaging 
vai'ieties, of which that called the Hammer smith is the 
type, may be sown now to a considerable extent. Pre¬ 
vious sowings of the same we suppose to have been 
made; these, though equally liable to the mishaps 
common at this season, are not so much affected by a 
too early, or a too late sowing; on the contrary, it is 
advisable to continue sowings of these until a late 
period, in order to make sure of plants necessary for 
the successional uses this salad is wanted for; and if the 
last crop of this was sown under glass, its chances of 
success would be much increased, and as Melon frames, 
&c., are sometimes at liberty then, the difficulty of 
getting this indulgence is much less than might be ex- 
