is nearly in the center of the empire, greater care is
taken with its cultivation than probably anywhere else in the world, and
large quantities are grown for seed. The late James Vick has told
(Report Mich. Pom. Soc., 1874, p. 206,) how the low swampy land around
Erfurt is thrown up into wide beds with ditches between, from which,
every dry day, the water is dipped upon the plants. In Austria, also,
cauliflower is a well-known vegetable, and several valuable varieties
have originated in that country. Few seedsmen offer a more complete list
of varieties than those of Vienna. In Italy the cauliflower has long
been known, and in some places is a staple food of the poorer classes.
Most of our standard late varieties are of Italian origin.

In Holland, cauliflowers are grown not only for home use and for seed,
but also for the early London market. Around London the cauliflower has
been extensively grown for a longer time than anywhere else, and it is
there regarded as one of the most important garden crops. A recent
English writer says: "With the exception of the potato, I question
whether there is another vegetable to be compared with the cauliflower
for general usefulness." Hundreds of acres are devoted to it near
London, a large portion being under glass for the early crop. Formerly
the cauliflower crop was all cut and sent to market, with the exception
of a small portion saved for seed; but of late, extensive fields are
purchased entire by Crosse and Blackwell for pickling purposes.

In the United States there are a few points where the growing of
cauliflower for market is assuming considerable importance. On Long
Island, in 1879, the crop was estimated by Oemler at 100,000 pounds,
besides what was used for pickling. In 1885 Brill estimated the total
crop of Suffolk County at about 125,000 barrels. In 1889, the value of
the crop sold from Suffolk County was estimated at $200,000, nine-tenths
of all the cauliflowers sent to the New York market being grown in that
county. At Farmingdale and Central Park, in 1888, two pickle factories
used five hundred barrels of cauliflowers, besides the usual proportion
of other vegetables. Much of the crop from Long Island is now sent to
markets beyond New York. Philadelphia receives but little good
cauliflower except that which comes from Long Island. The same is true
of the city of Washington. The receipts in the latter city from Long
Island for the three fall months of 1890 were abou