Vaughn's Earliest Dwarf Erfurt.—In his catalogue for 1891, Vaughn says that this is the highest priced and finest strain of the Earliest Dwarf Erfurt, imported from Erfurt Germany. This strain has been imported by him for several years. He remarks that many strains of Dwarf Erfurt are given special names by other seedsmen.
Veitch's Autumn Giant (Autumn Giant, Giant Naples, Frankfort Giant).—No other new variety of cauliflower has attracted so much attention as this. It was introduced into England about 1869, since when it has become very popular there for a late crop and for summer. It is rather too late for the ordinary fall crop in this country, though a favorite with some growers on both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts.
It was described by Vilmorin in 1883, as follows, under the name Giant Naples, but is now sold by him as Autumn Giant: "Plant large and vigorous, stem rather tall, leaves abundant, somewhat undulated, of a deep green. The interior leaves turn in well over the head, which is very large, solid, and white. It is a late variety of the same period as Walcheren, but less hardy. At the north it can be employed for the latest crop in open air culture by being sown in April or May."
In 1884 Vincent Berthault gave the following account of this variety in the Revue Horticole: "This variety is still rare and little known in France. I planted it last year for trial and obtained results which were the admiration of all who saw them. It was from my small crop that I took the four which I had the honor to present to the Central Horticultural Society of France at its meeting on August 25, 1883. Some of these cauliflowers were 35 to 38 centimeters [more than a foot] in diameter, and weighed, including stem and leaves, 12 to 13 kilograms [nearly 30 pounds] which is extraordinary for this time of the year, when it is difficult to obtain cauliflowers of even ordinary size. At one time I feared that their size was to the detriment of their quality, but it has proved otherwise, and in all respects they are excellent, and as good as beautiful. In fact they are perfect.
"The general characters of the Autumn Giant differ materially from those of other varieties.
"The young seedlings become at once very tall and upright, and even after being set out and planted as deep as the first leaves they quickly assume their usual stellate appearance, and for about six weeks they are simply furnished with eight or ten long narrow leaves borne on a long stem. So up to this time the plants are not very promising, and one is tempted to pull them up; but after this the plants rapidly change in appearance; a dozen new leaves are quickly developed, and the plants take on a half-upright form which recalls that of the Half Early Paris variety. As to the head, it is more conical than flat. The leaves sometimes attain a length of 90 centimeters [nearly three feet], by 40 centimeters broad. It is then that extra care should be given. The waterings ought to be copious and frequent, especially at the time of the formation of the heads, when I apply about 10 to 15 litres of water to each head every other day. This, which certainly contributed to the good result, is how I grew my plants. I chose good soil, which I prepared during the winter, placing in the bottom of the furrow a good thickness of manure, and a month before planting, or even at the time of doing so, I spread on the surface a covering of decomposed manure, which I incorporated with the soil by means of ordinary tillage. I visited the plantation every day, not only to destroy the caterpillars, but to cover the heads with leaves, which it was necessary to look after at least every other day in order to preserve the whiteness of the heads. These attentions are indispensable if one would secure a product of first quality, free from insects. As to sowing the seed, it may be begun about the 15th of September, and the plants wintered over under hand-glasses, or in frames, to be set out in March, when heads will be obtained in July. The plants of this sowing may also be set in hot-beds in January and February, but this only in default of other varieties, for they will be too tall and spreading.
"It is in February, on a bed with mild heat and under glass, that I make my sowing to obtain plants which are to head in August and September, and which give my best returns. A final sowing may be made at the end of March or beginning of April; it matures its crop in October and November.
"My opinion of the Autumn Giant is that it is destined to play an important part in the market-gardening of the country when, probably in the near future, there shall have been produced dwarf varieties analogous to those which we already possess from other sorts."
Veitch's Early Forcing.—This variety "has small compact hearts, very close and white. The habit of the plant is dwarf and sturdy, and it is well adapted for forcing."—(Gardening Illustrated, 1885, p. 427). It is favorably mentioned by several writers in the Gardener's Chronicle for 1884 and 1885. In the Garden for 1882 Veitch's Early is said to be two weeks earlier than Early London.