The Cauliflower

"There has undoubtedly been more money made by the cultivation of the cauliflower per acre than by any other vegetable yet discovered." Isaac F. Tillinghast, Pennsylvania. "There is no vegetable, the cultivation of which is more generally neglected than that of the cauliflower. This is not because it is not considered a valuable addition to any garden, but from a mistaken notion that it is a very difficult vegetable to raise." H. M. Stringfellow, Texas. "I incline to think that there is a fortune in store for the energetic young man who finds a favorable locality for growing this vegetable near any one of our large cities and who makes a specialty of the work." Prof. E. S. Goff, Wisconsin. CONTENTS. PAGE. Introduction. 5 Origin and History. 9 The Cauliflower Industry. —In Europe. In the United States. Importation of Cauliflowers. 19 Management of the Crop. —Soil. Fertilizers. Planting. Cultivating. Harvesting. Keeping. Marketing. 25 The Early Crop. — Caution against Planting it largely. Special Directions. Buttoning. 53 Cauliflower Regions of the United States. —Upper Atlantic Coast. Lake Region. Prairie Region. Cauliflowers in the South. The Pacific Coast. 61 Insect and Fungus Enemies. —Flea Beetle. Cut Worms. Cabbage Maggot. Cabbage Worm. Stem Rot. Damping Off. Black Leg. 93 Cauliflower Seed. —Importance of Careful Selection. Where the Seed is Grown. Influence of Climate. American Grown Seed. 107 Varieties . —Descriptive Catalogue. Order of Earliness. Variety Tests. Best Varieties. 125 Broccoli. —Differences between Broccoli and Cauliflower. Cultivation, Use, and Varieties of Broccoli. 189 Cooking Cauliflower. — Digestibility. Nutritive Value. Chemical Composition. Receipts. 195 Recapitulation. 221 Glossary. 223 References. 226 INTRODUCTION. The cauliflower is one of the minor vegetables which is now attracting more than ordinary attention in this country, and being grown with remarkable success and profit in a few localities which have been found to be particularly adapted to it. With most of our gardeners, however, it is still considered a very uncertain and unprofitable crop. This is due not only to the peculiar requirements of the cauliflower as to soil and climate, but also to the want of familiarity on the part of most American gardeners with modern varieties and with methods of cultivation adapted to our climate. For a number of years, while engaged in market gardening and fruit growing in Western Michigan, the writer made a specialty of raising cauliflowers for the Grand Rapids and Chicago markets, planting from three…