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Cultivation (Cauliflowers may be divided)
Cauliflowers may be divided into two sections: Spring-sown and Autumn-sown. The latter is, perhaps, the more important, as the crop comes from them in spring and early summer, when they are sure to be expected and are always appreciated.
Sow seeds for succession in February and March, on a gentle hotbed, and afterwards in the open ground. As soon as the plants are large enough to handle, prick them out in a warm place under hand lights, or in a frame, with a little bottom heat in the case of the earlier sowings, until of sufficient size to plant out finally. It is not advisable to sow later than May for autumn supplies, as the season is not of sufficient length afterwards for the crop to be ready for use before frost comes. The results are not always certain, especially in a dry summer, a large percentage of the plants being liable to "button," or produce their heads prematurely. If, however, smaller successional plantings are made, the loss of, maybe, the majority of any one will not be so much felt. The plants will require a distance of 2ft. each way, and they should be kept watered, if possible, in dry weather. The earlier batches should be planted where there is shelter, such as single lines between Asparagus beds, or between rows of early Peas, if the latter are wide enough apart to admit plenty of light.
To obtain plants to stand the winter, sow in August, or early in September, and, as soon as they are large enough, prick out about 4in. apart, in cold frames, keeping them about 6in. from the glass. Allow the plants all the air possible, but not too much rain, or they will become sappy, and not able to stand the cold of winter. At the approach of frost, put on the sashes, and, in severe weather, apply coverings of dry litter, fern, or some other non-conducting material. Hand lights, protected in a similar way, may also be used to preserve the plants through the winter. Give plenty of air at all times when there is no frost; and on mild, dry days, throw off the lights altogether, the object being to make the plants as hardy as possible. In March or April, transplant to a warm south border, taking the state of the weather into consideration. It will still be necessary to protect with hand lights, if possible, or by some other means. A good plan is to place at distances four plants within the area of a hand light, and remove the latter on all favourable occasions. Keep the soil stirred around the plants, and, as the season advances, plenty of water and an occasional dose of liquid manure will be of great advantage. Should the crop come in too rapidly, cut the heads so soon as they are ready, and place them on the floor of a cool shed or cellar, where they will keep for several days. Cauliflowers should be cut before the white heads are exposed to the sun and light, or they will quickly open and become partially green, thereby injuring the quality. Sorts. Distinct sorts are somewhat limited, but their synonyms are numerous. The best for autumn sowing are Early Erfurt, Early London, and Walcheren. These may also be sown in spring; other good varieties for sowing at this season are Large Asiatic, Lenormand's Dwarf Mammouth, and Veitch's Autumn Giant.
CAULOPHYLLUM (from kaulon, a stem, and phyllon, a leaf; the stem seeming to form a stalk for the single, large, and compound leaf). ORD. Berberideae. A distinct and interesting hardy tuberous perennial. It grows readily in any ordinary light sandy soil. Propagated by divisions of the roots, made in early spring, or after flowering.
C. thalictroides (Thalictrum-like). fl. yellow, disposed in a loose raceme. April. l., stem leaf solitary; petiole divided to the base into three parts, each part bearing three ovate or obovate, deeply-cut, acuminated leaflets. fr., berry deep blue, globose, contracted below into a long-stipitate base. h. 1ft. North America, 1755.
CEANOTHUS (from keanothus, a name employed by Theophrastus to designate a spiny plant, derived from keo, to cleave; however, the modern genus has nothing to do with the plant of Theophrastus). ORD. Rhamneae. Hardy or half-hardy, smooth or pubescent shrubs. Flowers blue or white, very slender, disposed in terminal panicles or in thyrsoid cymes. Leaves alternate, serrated, three-nerved. Branches erect. They thrive in almost any soil, but prefer a light one, and a well-drained situation. The majority of the species are very elegant, and are particularly suited for covering walls with almost all aspects. They are mostly of free and neat growth. Propagation is effected either by cuttings, which should be inserted in sandy soil, in a cold frame, in autumn, or by layers, which is the readiest way of obtaining strong plants. A great number of species have been introduced, from time to time, but only a comparative few are generally grown, although all are well worth cultivating. C. americanus (American).* New Jersey Tea. fl. white, small; thyrse elongated, axillary, with a pubescent rachis. June, July. l. ovate, acuminated, serrated, and pubescent beneath. North America, 1713. Hardy. (B. M. 1479.) C. azureus (azure-blue).* fl. pale blue; pedicels smooth; thyrse elongated, axillary, with a downy rachis. April and May. l. ovate-oblong, obtuse, acutely serrated, smooth above, hoary and downy beneath. h. 10ft. Mexico, 1818. Hardy in most places. SYNS. C. bicolor and C. coeruleus (L. B. C. 110). (B. R. 291.) There is a very fine variety of this species, GLOIRE DE VERSAILLES, which is most desirable.
C. bicolor (two-coloured). A synonym of C. azureus.
C. coeruleus (blue). A synonym of C. azureus.
C. collinus (hill). fl. white, numerous. June, July. l. ovate or elliptic, somewhat clammy. h. 1ft. North America, 1827. Hardy. C. cuneatus (wedge-shaped).* fl. pale blue, sometimes white, disposed in corymbose terminal heads. April. l. cuneate-obovate, or oblong, usually entire. h. 4ft. Upper California. SYN. C. verrucosus. Half-hardy. (B. M. 4660.) C. dentatus (toothed).* fl. blue, in small roundish clusters, on naked peduncles about 1in. long. May and June. l. fascicled, obovate or oblong-elliptic, acute, the margins strongly undulate or revolute. h. 4ft. to 6ft. California, 1848. An erect, and usually nearly glabrous shrub. Hardy. SYN. C. Lobbianus. (B. M. 4810.) C. divaricatus (straggling). fl. nearly white, or very pale blue, usually in nearly simple elongated racemes. June, July. l. oblong, or oblong-ovate, rounded at the base, obtuse or acute at the apex, both sides smooth. Branches spinose and straggling. h. 3ft. to 4ft. California and Oregon, 1848. Hardy. C. floribundus (many-flowered).* fl. richest brilliant mazarine blue, densely crowded in globe-shaped heads. June. l. small, oblong, acute, serrulate, evergreen, shining. California. Hardy. (B. M. 4806.) C. integerrimus (entire-leaved).* fl. usually white, arranged in large open panicles, terminating slender branches, or axillary upon shorter peduncles. June, July. l. ovate, or ovate-oblong, entire or rarely slightly glandular-serrulate. Branches slender, quite glabrous. h. 3ft. to 6ft. California, 1846. Half-hardy.
C. Lobbianus (Lobb's). A synonym of C. dentatus.
C. microphyllus (small-leaved). fl. white; corymbs stalked, loose terminal. May, June. l. oblong, obtuse, entire, minute, sub-fascicled, smooth. Branches straight, somewhat decumbent. h. 2ft. North America, 1806. Hardy. C. papillosus (pimpled). fl. blue, in dense clusters, on short racemes, terminating slender, naked peduncles. June. l. narrowly oblong, blunt at both ends, glandular-serrulate, and the upper surface is also glandular. h. 2ft. to 3ft. California, 1848. Half-hardy. (B. M. 4815.) C. rigidus (rigid).* fl. rich purple-blue, in long terminal spikes. l. broadly cuneate, or obovate, often emarginate, slightly toothed. h. 5ft. to 6ft. California, 1848. Half-hardy. (B. M. 4664.) C. Veitchianus (Veitch's ).* fl. bright blue, disposed in dense clusters. l. thick, small, oblong-obovate, or oval, glandular-serrulate. California. Hardy. (B. M. 5127.) C. verrucosus (warted). Synonymous with C. cuneatus. CECROPIA (a classical name commemorating Cecrops, the fist founder of Athens, which was primarily known as Cecropia). Snake Wood. ORD. Urticaceae. Ornamental stove evergreen, soft-wooded, milky trees. They require a mixture of peat and loam, in a rough state, with the addition of a little sand. Propagated by cuttings, made of ripened shoots, in April, and inserted in sandy peat, with a bell glass over them, in a moist bottom heat. C. peltata (peltate-leaved). fl., male: receptacles numerous, shortly stipitate, in cylindrical spikes; calyx a turbinate, four-cornered scale. Female: receptacles less numerous and thinner than the male ones, sessile. l. large, peltate, seven to nine-lobed, hispid and rough above, white and downy beneath; lobes oblong, bluntish. h. 30ft. Jamaica, 1778. The fruits--four, five, or more--rise from the very top of a common peduncle, and shoot into so many oblong, cylindrical berries, composed of a row of little acini, something like the Raspberry, which they also resemble in flavour. CEDRELA (a diminutive from Cedrus, the Cedar; the wood having an aromatic scent like that of the Cedar-tree). Bastard Cedar. Including Toona. ORD. Meliaceae. A genus of about a dozen species of large stove or green-house trees. Flowers whitish, small, in axillary and terminal panicles. Leaves abruptly pinnate, many-paired. They thrive well in rich loam. Large ripened cuttings will strike root in sand, under a hand glass, in heat. C. odorata (sweet-scented). fl. whitish, flesh-coloured, resembling those of a Hyacinth. Summer. l., leaflets ovate-lanceolate, entire, on short stalks. fr. about the size of a partridge's egg. h. 50ft. Caribbee Islands, 1739. Stove. The bark, berries, and leaves of some of the kinds smell like Assa-foetida, when fresh.
C. sinensis (Chinese). China. Hardy. SYN. Ailantus flavescens. (R. H. 1875, 87.) C. Toona (Toona). fl. white or pink, small, smelling like fresh honey. February to May. l., leaflets lanceolate, acuminated, entire, pale glaucous beneath, deciduous. h. 60ft. India, 1823. Stove.
C. velutina (velvety). fl. whitish. l. leaflets ovate-lanceolate, entire, smooth; petioles and branches velvety, from very short down. h. 50ft. India, 1793. Stove.
CEDRONELLA (probably a diminutive of kedros, the Cedar: from the sweet odour of C. triphylla). ORD. Labiatae. Half-hardy or hardy herbs or shrubs. Whorls approximate into terminal spikes or racemes. Floral leaves bract-formed; bracts small, setaceous; corolla with an exserted tube, naked inside, a dilated throat, and a bilabiate limb. They thrive in a compost of sandy loam, leaf soil, and a little peat. The herbaceous species are propagated by division of the root, or by cuttings of young wood; C. triphylla by cuttings. C. cana (hoary). fl. showy purple or crimson, disposed in numerous spikes. July. l. ovate-oblong, dentated, fragrant. h. 2ft. to 3ft. New Mexico, 1851. A very neat erect, hardy, evergreen species. (B. M. 4618.) C. cordata (heart-shaped).* fl. light purple, in bracteate spikes; corolla twice as long as the calyx segments. May and June. l. ovate, cordate at the base, crenated, nearly sessile; shoots trailing. h. 4in. to 6in. Northern United States, 1880. Hardy. SYN. Dracocephalum cordatum. C. mexicana (Mexican). fl., corolla purplish, three times as long as the calyx; whorls many-flowered, approximating into a terete, interrupted spike or raceme. l. ovate-lanceolate, cordate at the base, toothed. h. 2ft. to 3ft. Half-hardy. Mexico, 1832. SYN. Gardoquia betonicoides. (B. M. 3860.) C. triphylla (three-leaved).* Balm of Gilead. fl. white or pale purple, about twice as long as the calyx; whorls loose, collected into terete oblong spikes. July. l. ternate; leaflets oblong-lanceolate; emitting a very sweet odour when gently rubbed. h. 3ft. to 4ft. Canary Islands, 1697. Half-hardy shrub. SYN. Dracocephalum canariense.