February  27,  1902. 
189 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
longei*  tune  tlian  the  other  plants.  In  the  case  of  Brussels 
sprouts,  it  IS  reasonable  to  suppose  that  the  numerous  flower- 
heads  whicli  they  throw  up  would  mature  by  instalments,  just 
as  the  top  and  the  stem  sprouts  do’  when  they  are  groAvii  for 
cooking.  In  less  degree  this  might  have  been  expected,  also,  in 
tlio^^sand-headed  Kale;  but  the  inoculative  potency 
or  this  variety  has  proved  in  the  trial  smaller  than  that  of  some 
otlier  kuids,  though  greater  than  that  of  the  close-hearted 
V,  aoDage. 
“  Among  about  forty  plants  grown  from  the  seed  of  a  Dwarf 
Dreen  andXnrled  Kale,  taken  at  random,  there  is  not  one  true 
there  are  two  purple  Kales,  several  of  a  coarse  type 
or  Kale,  not  properly  curled  and  partly  of  Brussels  Sprouts 
character,  and  one  semi-Cabbage.  In  the  companion  plot  of 
selected  plants  from  the  same  seed,  there  is  one  Kale  nearly  true 
to  type,  and  seven  are  dwarf  purple  Kales,  while  one  is  like  a 
1  housand-headed,  the  rest  being  coarse  greeti  Kales. 
Cinerarias  at  Wordsley. 
several  plants  of  curious  foliage,  almost  Tike  the  leaves  of 
Parsnips  in  shape,  and,  apparently,  the  result  of  the  crossing  of 
Thousand-headed  and  purple  Kale.  Other  Kales  have  very  large 
leaves,  while  some  have  curiously  twisted  foliage,  unlike  that 
of  any  cultivated  plant.  There  are  five  dwarf  purple  Kales  in 
one  plot  and  ten  in  the  other,  but  only  two  are  as  densely  curled 
as  the  seed-bearing  parent  stock,  and  nearly  all  are  imftli 
deteriorated  in  colour. 
“  There  is  not  a  single  plant  of  true  type  in  the  unselected 
plot  of  Thousand-headed  Kale.  Several  are  obvious  crosses 
between  that  stock  and  Brussels  Sprouts,  a  few  of  which  show 
markings  of  the  rtxl  variegated  Kale,  while  others  are  semi- 
Couve  'rronchudas.  In  the  selected  plot  there  are  five  plants 
of  nearly  true  type,  four  more  like  Couve  Tronchuda,  and  one  a 
Ihousand-headed  Couve,  others  being  nonde.script  purple  or 
green  Kales  o^  degenerate  forms.  Four  distinct  Cabbages  are 
to  be  ftfuiid  indKe  two  Couve  Tronchuda  plots;  other  plants  are 
■‘In  mitlier  of  the  Brussels  Sprouts  pilots  is  there  a  single 
plant  with  “  buttons  ”  on  its  stem,  as  there  would  be  in  one  of 
true  type.  Instead,  there  are  the  most  curious  specimens  of 
loose  sprouts — some  quite  purple,  some  variegated  red,  and  sonm 
with  Kale  leaves ;  while  one  has  a  top  and  stem  sprouts,  showing 
the  peculiar  light  green  and  white-veined  foliage  of  the  Couve 
Tronchuda.  It  is  not  impossible  that  this  Sprouts-Couve  cross, 
alone  among  all  the  ‘  sports,’  may  prove  worth  perpetuation  as 
a  fresh  culmary  acquilsition.  The  variegated  sprouts  present  a 
pretty  appearance,  but  are  of  no  value  for  cooking.  The  red 
variegated  Kale  plants  in  both  their  plots  show  more  signs  of 
Cabbage  inoculation  than  any  others.  In  each  plot  there  are 
four  plants  of  distinct  Cabbage  character,  half  of  them  behig 
red  and  half  variegated.  Other  plants  are  bastard  types  of  the 
Kale,  some  red  variegated  and  some  green,  ivhile  five  in  the 
unselected  plot  are  sufficiently  true  to  type  to  pass.  Several  of 
the  plants  are  of  Brussels  Sprouts  character,  with  Kale  leaves. 
“  Among  the  progeny  of  the  dwarf  purple  Kale  there  are 
apparently  crosses  between  Couve  and  Thousand-headed  Kale 
or  Couve  and  Brussels  Sprouts;  and  there  are  several  like  Drum¬ 
head  Kales,  but  heartless,  as  the  Couve  is.  In  the  selected 
lot  are  to  be  seen  four  plants  similar  to  the  seed-bearing  parent, 
ut  not  true  to  type,  while  there  are  none  as  neax'ly  true  in  the 
other  plot. 
“Perhaps,  of  all  the  seven  plants  which  produced  seed  the 
Cabbage  has  been  least  spoilt  by  exposure  to  chance  crossing. 
There  are  six  true  to  type  in  the  two  plots,  with  three  semi-red 
Cabbages,  but  still  the  great  majority  of  the  plants  are  of  mixed 
character.  There  is  one  distinct  Cabbage-Couve  cross,  and 
another  plant  appears  to  be  a  combination  of  Cabbage  and 
Thousand-headed  Kale,  besides  Avhich  are  to  be  found  two 
Cabbage-headed  Brussels  Sprouts  and  several  Kales  of  coarse 
type,  probably  Cabbage  Kales.  Perhaps  the  most  curious  plant 
in  either  of  the  Cabbage  plots  is  one  of  combined  Couve 
Troncluida  and  Brussels  Sprouts  character,  the  sprouts  on  the 
stem  being  stained  by  the  red  variegated  Kale.” 
