it may be. The Cornish growers owe their
success in great part to their climate, which carries their crops
through the winter unhurt; but they grow Broccoli only on rich soil, and
keep it in good heart by means of seaweed and other fertilisers. All the
details of Broccoli culture require a liberal spirit and careful
attention, and the value of a well-grown crop justifies first-class
treatment. On the other hand, a badly-grown crop will not pay rent for
the space it covers, to say nothing of the labour that has been devoted
to it.

==The Seed-bed.==--Broccoli should always be sown on good seed-beds and be
planted out; the seed-beds should be narrow, say three or three and a
half feet wide, and the seed must be sown in drills half an inch deep at
the utmost--less if possible; and where sparrows haunt the garden it
will be well to cover the beds with netting, or protect the rows with
wire pea guards. A quick way of protecting all round seeds against small
birds is to put a little red lead in a saucer, then lightly sprinkle the
seed with water and shake it about in the red lead. Not a bird or mouse
will touch seed so treated.

The seed-beds must be tended with scrupulous care to keep down weeds and
avert other dangers. It is of great importance to secure a robust plant,
short, full of colour, and free from club at the root. Now, cleanliness
is in itself a safeguard. It promotes a short sturdy growth, because
where there are no weeds or other rubbish the young plant has ample
light and air. Early thinning and planting is another important matter.
If the land is not ready for planting, thin the seed-bed and prick out
the seedlings. A good crop of Broccoli is worth any amount of trouble,
although trouble ought to be an unknown word in the dictionary of a
gardener.

==Manuring Ground.==--As a rule, Broccoli should be planted in fresh
ground, and, in mild districts, if the soil is in some degree rank with
green manure the crop will be none the worse for it. But rank manure is
not needful; a deep, well-dug, sweet loam will produce a healthy growth
and neat handsome heads. However, it is proper to remark, that if any
rank manure is in the way, or if the ground is poor and wants it, the
Broccoli will take to it kindly, and all the rankness will be gone long
before they produce their creamy heads. Still, it must be clearly
understood that the more generous the treatment, the more succulent will
be the growth, and in cold climate