
oe 
JOHN MOSBELL 
quired, and this should be well manured 
(but not freshly manured) and well cul- 
tivated. It is also important that the 
climatic conditions are such that there 
is reasonable assurance that night frosts 
in the late spring and early fall will not 
be experienced. It is also necessary that 
the cauliflower seed grower is, at all 
times, in a position to control irrigation 
of the fields, as it is most important 
that the plants have plenty of moisture 
—especially up to the time of the proper 
maturity of the heads. 
Rogueing Is Important 
Next comes one of the most important 
steps in this complicated growing proc- 
ess—namely, the rogueing. (Fig. 6.) 
Each field is inspected daily by experts, 
and all heads not absolutely true to type 
are removed from the field immediately. 
Any plants that have not headed by this 
time, about July 15 to 20, must be re- 
moved from the fields, as the interval be- 
fore harvest time will not allow such 
plants to properly produce seed. Shortly 
after the rogueing, the very important 
selection of stock seed takes place. This 
selection is made most critically. Only 
the very best shaped, white heads hav- 
ing a firm center—with evenly distrib- 
uted outside seed stalks are acceptable. 
(Fig. 7.) Hach such super-plant is 
marked with proper identification and 
protected by a gauze-covered frame. In 
this way, the seed is kept under utmost 
control during the final stages of the 
growing process. 
During the last few years, the writ- 
er’s arrangement with the E. Suhr Co. 
SEED Grown in DENMARK 
on the island of Amager has been based 
on the following novel method: 
Seed harvested from each individual 
stock seed plant is used—with half the 
amount for seed production and half for 
production of the ready market product. 
Thousands of crates are shipped to the 
city market in Copenhagen and to vari- 
ous parts of the country. Some is ex- 
ported to other parts of Scandinavia. 
The grading of this latter half is ex- 
tremely critical and should a particular 
number not give from 90 to 100 per 
cent of No. 1 heads, the plants of the 
corresponding number in the field for 
seed production are immediately de- 
stroyed. This utmost effective means of 
control, while tedious and expensive, 
assures 100 per cent purity in seed 
production. 
In order to keep destructive birds 
away, young boys are employed to cover 
the fields with various noise-making de- 
vices. The plants are sprayed whenever 
necessary. (Fig. 8.) 
In order to protect the plants against 
night frosts that may occur in Septem- 
ber and do untold damage, it is neces- 
sary to have ready for immediate use 
smudge pots of large calibre which are 
located at strategic points throughout 
the plantings. 
The seeds usually mature during the 
first part of October. This is indicated 
by the pods turning yellow, while the 
seeds become brown and solid. Care is 
exercised not to harvest the seeds too 
early as a shrinky seed of low germina- 
tion and light color would be the result. 
Harvesting takes place as the seed ma- 
tures and the entire plant is carefully 
cut and transferred to properly built 
curing-houses. : 
About the 20th of October, the field is 
clean. In due time, threshing takes 
place and after this, the cleaning proc- 
ess. Cleaning is followed by the final 
drying which is done by placing the seed 
in copper-wired bottom frames, each 
about 3x6 feet, and by proper stirring. 
Natural factors, sun and air, are em- 
ployed. Samples of the product are then 
drawn by the Danish Government Seed 
Control and upon acceptance by this 
authority, the seed is bagged and made 
ready for shipment to the United States. 
Reprinted from April 9, 1987, issue of SEED Worip 

