Broocoli

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 233, 17 December 1887, Page 2

Broocoli

All Lhc cabbage tribe of vegetables are useful from the fact that they cairbc plan fed to come into use at various season? of the i year, and often when thcio are t> cry few other vegetables available for the- table. Biocqoli.ifo -a member of this family that is, so far as our observation goes, somewhat neglected in this connfciy. It i> a hardy plant, and the difference between some of the white bioccolis and cauliflowers is very small. Some think, owing to the character of some of the varieties of Broccoli, that ifc has been derived fiom the tall open cabbages, gensially known as "greens," bub this is probably a mistake. There is a much clown* connection between this vegetable and the cauliflower, wo should think. There are a number of cultivated a arietica of- Broccoli, and these may be classified ittt6 kinds having purple and green heads, and those havirig- the heads cream, coloured and sulphur, autd those having them white. Amongst the first class we mention as itseful kinds the early Purple Cape, the Green or. Late Gape. Both these sorts can be &own as late as the beginning; of December in this country, although, if a dry season sets in, -they will not do much good unless artificially watered. With sufficient moisture they, will do well and epnie" into use in the . winter. The first sowing should be made in October,. *nd. perhaps, plants- fromearly sowings , could .be procured from market gardeners ' to plant this month. The Purple Cape grows, to a height of from, brie foot to 18," inches.-" The leaves are erect "and waved, with, the veins and midrib stain.cd' with purple. . It . has cpmpact, purplish-green'J&eaas of medium size, which; in boiling ; becpnie, green,- „ T he Green Gape has, long, ' .narrow . leaves,' which usually cover the heads, w*hieh are' greenish. Anf other kind is jbhe Invarf Purple, or Danish, and sometimes cabled the Hardy. Siberian. This, kind is valued for its great hardine&s, which 'renders it' suitable for exposed sit,u*K I tibns and cold districts. A first sowing, of > : this| variety may be made in the^ Northern districts the latter part, of September, and further south in October ;and"thc heads will Ibo ready.for use the following spring. The i Purple bproiitinfj is alsoagood, sta'ong-grow-ing, 1 hardy kipd, eri'o wing, from two, -to, three feeb' high/ with, leaves much in? ! dented and of a purplish-green in eplftuiV' ! The h,ead is. a.deep purple, and qft&r it. is cutjSinaJler heads sprout frpm, ( the a?i^\ojt th*e uppec' leaves. After the , first - heact i« cut out> in the aiitumn-the sprouts, qontinue, •to furriislia supply ,all throuerh the winter.. A late sowing , the ,begmnjn.g of Dojoj^mbeijin favourable teasons .wifl furnish ;heads/Oj.' spi'Out^," early next - sprang. „ This^ eort. in planbihp out" should be allowed 4 plenty pf. I'pbm,^ as much as two fee£ everj, wajr jp t/ abdut"iAe"fei'opbv ;dtsfcance.- gal-'dening, writer aM a.'l v ecogriis'ed authority^says th^s sprouting femd is. t'lif ibesfj ,of 'the |*urple3.'^ tT Tli.e author of jPrpntcitSlf .Gci^&eningi that ' pf /the 1 j3l\lpKurs theyfe, .are, two-good, Uprtff/.the J^prtßinmi'tli jSr'^oujihajt^ptQn', ap.^ "i}\<s< cpiiftndh ' %hnstjs£C Brpc'cpy. alfe njivtch" g>'<Avti for tl^spw^gi 13 *^*©^^ ;E|»«dnd.;, ' /"7. 1 .':!'//. .>;\ T*- -rV. \ ;!Slie i 'wh|fehje ( ald9^biJx)ccp^,aVe; the most* jthoughb ,%'.^ ffdjttV^krf ■r#ffi%B*e"J % /Qha,r|i'ctei^to > (mtihB 1 0,wexis.,,' .firanWs Eaply. r^k^\e:%W^^%ieopla; l&tii&v'Qifcdsp. O^tp^Beijo'r^rs&hal^ofi regards earliness, owing probably to having become crossed with other varieties.

Another excellent variety is Veitch's Protecting. This is a midwinter kind and should be largely grown. The name arises from tho fact that the leaf stems are twisted in such a way that the leaves form a protecting covering for the heads in fiosty weather. This broccoli produces firm, close, compact white J*eads, which are delicious in flavour, jfofad the plants *?%**%& Bbcqaf^&t^mpdy^A Avery -late; d\^r£ variety *d tliftt $no«(nty s' M§11« iflovki which in Ejjifflknd<£ufsslss Mf supply Qi heads until cauliflowers- »ar& isl season. The Walcheren;js a kind f-verjr highly commended by<Mv Shirley Hibberd, who says that a clever gardener sowing true seed of Walcheren could-- manage to cut heads every day in the \ear from it, and there is no trouble in having them from say the end of February to tho end of July, alwayfe provided they have enjoyed a due share of moisture during the summer. Some seed of this kind, as the last sowincr, may be put in the first week of this month. Broccoli "plants should be pricked out from the seed bed when thoy arc two or three inches high, and planted out finally gome five or six weeks later. Tho^e intended to stand over the wintei may be planted fifteen inches apart every way. Those- iutended' to come into use during the summer should be allowed not less than thirty inches apart, as plenty of room will tend to the production of liner heads at that season. Directly the plants come lip in a seed bed they should be thinned where too thick, for they should never be unduly crowded at any period of their growth. Before transplanting, the beds, if it is dry weathci, should be well watered, so that the moisture gets down to the lowest loots. Early sorts .should only be transplanted when a f ry young, and then very carefully to a\oid a cheek to their growth, for you have to goai d against the dangei' of .such a cheek leading to their shooting prematurely in'.o flower, or more popularly speaking 1 tinning to seed. The soil which is met suitable for thegixm th of broccoli, and also cauliflowers, U a. fairly rich, loamy" soil, with some Fubdtnncc in it. Very heavy manoring produces larger heads, but not po good in quality. Lime is of great benefit to ihi<plant, acting both as a manure and a -an insecticide. Tt may be cither dug or nocd in, or applied on the surface 6f the ground to be washed in by rain. The bo^b'manuio is probably culinary farmyaid manuio, well made. Plenty of water during period-, of dry weather is e^ential to the highest success in growing this vegetable as V; ell as many others. The first thing for anyone to do who wants a good vegetable garden :*- ' o provide* for a good artrrieir>l supply of wai er, either by the means of a hydraulic ram, o: any other method he may prefer— but v, tl-j , and plenty of it, he must have.