The Cauliflower Part 9

HALF EARLY GIANT ITALIAN.--A new variety catalogued without description by Vilmorin, Andrieux, & Co., in 1889.

HALF EARLY LARGE WHITE FRENCH (Vilmorin, Andrieux & Co.)--No description.

HALF EARLY PARIS (_Demi-dur de Paris_, _Gros Salomon_, _Nonpareil_).--Valuable for a late crop in this country, and now the most popular variety in the New Orleans market. Described by Vilmorin, of Paris, as follows: "Plant medium; leaves rather large, of a deep, slightly glaucous green, surrounding the head well, and gradually reflexed from the base to the apex; border undulate and coa.r.s.ely dentate, stem rather short and stout; head very white, large, and remaining solid a long time. Formerly the most extensively cultivated for the Paris market, but now giving place to Lenormand Short-stem, and several new varieties."

In the _Revue Horticole_ for 1880, M. May says: "This is the variety most cultivated around Paris, because it is suited to all seasons. It may be sown: (1) In September, to be gathered in May and June, being protected during winter like the Early Paris; (2) in February, in a hot-bed, or under hand-gla.s.ses or frames, to be gathered in June and July; (3) at the first of March, also in hot-bed, to be set out in April and gathered in July; (4) finally, it may be sown in June on a border of rich mold, and set out in July, without having been transplanted. This very simple method requires frequent waterings to yield good results.

The crop is gathered from September to November."

The name _Gros Salomon_, now given by Vilmorin and others as synonymous with Half Early Paris, was applied by Ribaud, in 1852, to a separate variety (_Annales de la Societe d' Horticulture de l' Allier_, 1852, p.

59). For remarks on the synonym "Nonpareil," see that name.

Mr. Gregory, of Ma.s.sachusetts, says of the Half-Early Paris or _Demi-dur_: "This is the kind usually sold in this country as Early Paris, the true variety making so small a head as to be comparatively worthless here."--(Gregory, "Cabbages and How to Grow Them," 1870, p.

69).

HALF EARLY ST. BRIEUC (_Demi-dur de St. Brieuc_).--"Plant large and strong; leaves quite large, elongated, undulate and of a deep green; stem long; head close, solid, and remaining a long time in good condition. This variety, which is extensively cultivated around St.

Brieuc, [on the north coast of France] from which it is exported to Paris, and even to England, is quite hardy, and is well adapted to open-air culture."--(Vilmorin).

The St. Brieuc was described by M. May, in the _Revue Horticole_, in 1880, as "a hardy, but late variety, inferior in its head to our Paris varieties, and not very generally cultivated."

At the New York experiment station in 1886, this variety gave good results.

HASKELL'S FAVORITE.--As grown at the South Dakota experiment station, in 1888, no difference was seen between this and Henderson's s...o...b..ll. Seed was sown in hot-bed April 10, the plants set out in well-manured soil, May 24, and the first heads cut July 13--from which time the plants continued to head along through the season. The introducer, George S. Haskell, of Rockford, Ill., writes: "The Early Favorite we sell is a variety I found in Holland a number of years ago.

It has proved a very sure header in this section of the country, and will yield more than other sorts. It is not of the 'Erfurt family,' but about half way between the Early Paris and Erfurt."

HENDERSON'S EARLY s...o...b..LL.--A German variety, derived from the Dwarf Erfurt, introduced by Peter Henderson & Co., about 1878, and which has become very popular. Gregory, in 1890, said that it was not excelled by any other variety, unless it was Thorburn's Gilt Edge, and that it combined the best characteristics of Berlin Dwarf, Extra Early Erfurt, and Sea Foam. Henderson & Co. state that it is now grown for forcing more largely than any other variety. It is also considerably grown in field culture, not only for the early crop, for which it is especially suited, but also for the late crop, the plants being set out as late as the first of August. Its small size and reliability of heading are valuable features where suitable soil and culture are given.

The high price of the seed and the lack of vigor in much of the seed of this and other Dwarf Erfurt varieties, have prevented their cultivation on as large a scale as they would otherwise be grown.

This variety was formerly sold by many seedsmen simply as Early s...o...b..ll, and it is the one now usually referred to when the name Early s...o...b..ll is used, (See Early s...o...b..ll.)

W. J. Green, of the Ohio experiment station, says of Henderson's s...o...b..ll: "This justly celebrated strain of Early [Extra Early] Erfurt is probably better known than the parent variety. The true Henderson's Early s...o...b..ll is unexcelled, but there are other strains, and other varieties even, that have been sent out under this name, which are very inferior."

The stock of this variety is now all controlled Peter Henderson & Co., and is grown in Germany. Seed descended from Henderson's stock has been grown at Puget Sound, and is claimed to be as good as the original.

Several other sorts, including Puritan, Padilla and Gilt Edge, have been derived from Henderson's s...o...b..ll, which sometimes mature quite as early as this variety.

IDEAL, see _Vick's Ideal_.

IMPERIAL.--May says, in the _Revue Horticole_, for 1880: "A variety which seems to have originated from the Early Dwarf Erfurt, being a little more vigorous, and producing a little larger heads, which is without doubt a result of culture, for in head and leaf it wholly resembles the Erfurt. It is an excellent variety, employed in the same manner as the Erfurt, and deserves extended cultivation."

Vilmorin says: "This fine variety resembles the Dwarf Early Erfurt, but it is of deeper green, and every way larger. It is an early variety with beautiful white head, large and solid, and remarkable for its regularity of growth and product. When well grown it is certainly among the most desirable early varieties." Thorburn considers it one of the best for the main crop. It originated about 1870. It matured in one season eighteen days and in another thirty-two days before the Lenormand.--(_The Garden_, 1878, p. 2).

IMPERIAL NOVELTY (Landreth), see _Imperial_.

IMPROVED EARLY PARIS, see _Boston Market_.

ITALIAN GIANT.--There are two or more forms of this variety in the market. For example: Vick sells "Italian Giant;" Gregory, "Italian Early Giant;" the Plant Seed Company, "Italian Early Giant Autumnal;"

Vilmorin, "Half-Early Italian Giant (new);" Frotzer, "Late Italian Giant;" and Vilmorin, "Late Giant Italian Self-protecting." The early form or variety seems to be the most generally sold by our seedsmen, and is perhaps the one indicated when the simple name Italian Giant is used.

Gregory calls the Early Italian Giant a "fine, large white-headed early Variety." Frotzer says it is not quite so late as the Late Italian, almost as large, and in every way satisfactory. The Late Italian Giant, he says, is grown to a considerable extent in the neighborhood of New Orleans, and is the largest of all the cauliflowers and should not be sown later than June, as it requires from seven to nine months to head.

JOHNSON & STOKES' EARLY ALABASTER, see _Alabaster_.

KING, see _Sutton's King_.

KNICKERBOCKER.--An early Variety with "fine large compact snow-white heads of excellent flavor."--(E. & W. Hackett, Adelaide, Australia, 1889).

LACKAWANNA.--All American variety sent out by Tillinghast, about 1884, and said to be a little larger and later than Henderson's s...o...b..ll.

LANDRETH'S FIRST.--As grown at the New York experiment station in 1885, it was equal in earliness to the Early Dwarf Erfurt, and surpa.s.sed only by Henderson's s...o...b..ll.

LARGE ALGIERS, see _Algiers_.

LARGE ASIATIC, see _Asiatic_.

LARGE ERFURT.--A name sometimes applied to the ordinary Early Erfurt, in distinction from the Dwarf Erfurt.

LARGE EARLY DWARF ERFURT (Thorburn), see _Early Erfurt_.

LARGE EARLY LONDON.--Failed to head at the New York experiment station, in 1882. In 1885 a small proportion of the plants headed; it was the latest among 38 varieties.

LARGE EARLY WHITE ERFURT.--Brill calls this the lowest grade of the Erfurt type, succeeding admirably at times, but not to be depended on, and apt to grow with small fine leaves through the heads. See Early Erfurt.

LARGE LATE ALGIERS, see _Algiers_.

LARGE LATE ASIATIC, see _Asiatic_.

LARGE LATE WALCHEREN (Dreer), see _Walcheren_.

LARGE WHITE FRENCH.--A fine large white variety, catalogued by Gregory and others in 1890. Vilmorin calls it half-early.

LARGEST ASIATIC.--Taller and larger than the common Asiatic, but apparently no longer grown. The _Gardener's Chronicle_ for 1848 mentions its being sold by Messrs. Schertzer, of Haarlem.

LAING'S EARLY ADVANCE.--A writer in the _Gardener's Chronicle_, for 1891, p. 121, states that he has grown it for the past three years and finds it a good variety, with close white heads of moderate size, protected by many well-incurved leaves, and ready for use about five months from the time of sowing the seed.

LATE DUTCH (_Large Late Dutch_).--Sold by several American seedmen. Probably distinct from Early Dutch.

LATE LENORMAND SHORT-STEM, see _Lenormand Short-Stem_.

LATE LONDON (Burpee and Ferry).--No description. See Asiatic and Large Early London.

LATE PARIS (_Dur de Paris_).--This, said Vilmorin in 1883, is the latest variety cultivated by the market gardeners around Paris. It differs from the Half Early Paris, especially in being a little later, and in having its head remain hard and solid a long time; but it is also distinguished by the appearance of its foliage, which is quite abundant, elongated, very much undulated, and of an intense green.

This variety is the least cultivated of the three generally grown at Paris. The gardeners use it only for the summer sowing to come at the end of the season. It is now being supplanted by other late sorts.

LATE WALCHEREN, see _Walcheren_.

LEFEVRE.--Said to have been one of the best four varieties for Central France in 1852, the others being _Demi-dur de Paris_ (Half Early Paris), Early Duke, and _Gros Salomon_.

LE MAITRE PIED COURT.--As grown at the New York experiment station in 1885, it was rather early. Probably the same as the "Lemaitre" or Chambourcy Short-Stemmed, catalogued by Vilmorin in 1890.