ly sown and set out about the same time as late cabbage. In Western
Michigan, in latitude 43 deg., I have found that Early Paris sown about May
12, and set out about the 20th of June, begins to head in September, and
forms its main crop in October, about the time desired. In the latitude
of New York City the time for setting out the main crop is from June 20
to the 1st of August. Plants set as late as the 1st of August are
intended to head just before winter, and must be of the earliest
varieties. The large late varieties, like Autumn Giant, if used at all,
must be started early and set out not later than the first of June, as
they require the entire season.

Several kinds are often sown to form a succession, but where one has
tested a variety and found it adapted to his needs, it is often quite as
well to rely upon it almost entirely, and make two or three sowings for
a succession if desired. Even a single sowing, well timed, will
generally furnish cuttings through the most favorable part of the
season. If the seed is of the best quality, and the plants are of
uniform size, and all set at the same time, neither too early nor too
late, on soil of uniform character, they will in a good season form most
of their heads within a short space of time, sometimes within a week;
but generally in a given sowing, a few heads will form very early, then
the bulk of the crop will come on during three or four weeks, while the
remainder will hang on until late, perhaps until winter. No other crop
is so much affected in time of maturity by the character of the season
as the cauliflower, and even the most experienced growers sometimes fail
in getting them to head at the time desired.

The time for starting the plants for the early crop in the North is in
February, and the method is described in full in another chapter. They
should be set out, as stated, as soon as heavy freezing is past, say
about the middle of April. The most unfavorable time of any, and yet the
time when the inexperienced are most likely to set them, is about the
middle of May, for early varieties set then usually head in August when
it is seldom that heads can be obtained of good quality.

PREPARING THE GROUND.

Land intended for cauliflowers should be plowed deeply, as the
cauliflower is a deep feeder and delights in a rich, cool subsoil; in
fact, with no other plant of the cabbage family is a deep soil so
important. The manure, of whatever kind, should be mainl