# The Family Kitchen Gardener (1856)/Cauliflower

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CAULIFLOWER.
Brássica oleràcea, var.—Chou-fleur, Fr.—Blumenkohl, Ger.
This very delicate vegetable was first introduced into England from the island of Cypress, about a century and a half ago. Since then it has been greatly improved by the skill of the gardener. We are inclined to believe that there are only two varieties of the Cauliflower, though there are several sorts sold in the seed-shops. The early and the late are the two, and even these have frequently very little distinctive character, where they are under the same culture; and it is somewhat curious that the Dutch prefer the English seed, and the English prefer the Dutch. We have therefore to import the seeds from both countries every year, to meet the ideas of the purchasers.
Culture.—The proper seasons for sowing the seeds are, for the early Spring or Summer crop, between the eighth and twentieth of September; and for the late Autumn crop, about the first of April. The plants, as soon as they are two inches high, should be planted out in a bed of rich, light earth, three inches apart each way, so as to grow firm and stocky to remove to their final place of growth.
For the purpose of growing them in perfection, a bed of the richest light earth, two feet deep, and one-third of it well decomposed manure, in an open exposure, sheltered from the north-west, is requisite—the whole to be surrounded with a close frame, and covered with glass or shutters. It may be prepared about the first of October, to receive the plants after the ground has fully settled, which will take two weeks. Lift the plants carefully with a trowel from where they were transplanted, and plant them eighteen inches apart each way, into the pit or frame prepared for them. Give a gentle watering to the soil round the plant; press it down firmly, and little or ​no more water will be required till the Spring. Between each of these, plant a Lettuce of the early Butter or Royal Cabbage sorts, that will head in February and March, and be used before the Cauliflower makes much leaf to cover the ground. It will be necessary to surround the frame with dry litter to keep out the frost, and to cover the glass or shutters with dry straw or mats in time of severe weather, observing to give plenty of air, in clear, mild days, to prevent the plants from drawing or damping off at the neck. With such treatment we have seen Cauliflowers eighteen inches in diameter, and nearly as white as snow. When they are in a growing state, they should never suffer with drought. Allow a copious supply of water—if enriched, so much the better. Soap-suds is an excellent nutritive for the growth of vegetables. In the Southern States very little protection is required. Surround the roots with dry litter, and cover the plants in severe nights with mats or branches of evergreens. Be careful to supply moisture whenever the plants demand it, which is readily observed by the drooping, of the leaves.
As many of my readers may not have seen a Cauliflower, nor know from the above what it looks like, to such we say, it is a kind of Cabbage that produces within its long, pale-green leaves, a white head, very similar to a basin rounded full of the curd which is commonly called Cottage Cheese. This is about as plain a description of the appearance of this vegetable as we can give. In cutting Cauliflowers, the head should be cut off with some inches of the stalk, together with most of the surrounding leaves, which should be trimmed down nearly to the circumference of the head, when for present use; but the leaves of those required to be kept a few days, or intended for market, should be retained in their full length. If the flowers are opening more rapidly than demand requires, they can be, retarded a few days, by folding the leaves over the heads. By this process, the flower is kept of a purer white, being defended from the sun.