THE CAULIFLOWER INDUSTRY.
In the United States, as already stated, the cauliflower industry is but
little developed. This vegetable receives, for example, far less
attention than is given to celery, though it is more easily grown. One
may look over the recent files of some of our agricultural and
horticultural papers for several years together and not find the
cauliflower mentioned. In fact, more general attention was given the
cauliflower in this country forty years ago than to-day. The
disappointments of those who attempted to grow cauliflower at an early
day, expecting to grow it, as in Europe, with as little trouble as
cabbage, have led to an almost universal belief that the cauliflower is
peculiarly unreliable in the United States. This, for a large portion of
the country, is true; but it is beginning to be known that there are
localities where, with proper management, it is almost as safe as any
crop.
It is by no means true that in Europe the cauliflower is everywhere
grown with success. There are comparatively small areas, even in the
most favorable portions of that continent, where it can be profitably
grown. Although the climate of Europe, as a whole, is better for this
vegetable than that of the United States, the greater success with the
cauliflower there is due largely to the greater care exercised in
choosing proper soil, in fertilization, and in irrigation. The area of
cauliflower growing has largely increased in Europe within the past few
years. In the vicinity of Angiers, France, the growing of cauliflower
for market began about 1880. In a short time it reached an extent of
several thousand hectares (a hectare is two and one-half acres). There
is found in this region a loamy soil, such as is especially suitable for
this vegetable. The land is thrown up into beds twenty-five or thirty
feet wide, with ditches between for irrigation. The rows are placed two
and one-half feet apart, and the plants one and one-half feet apart in
the rows. On the approach of winter the plants which are still unheaded
are ridged up with earth for protection in the same manner as celery.
The crop fails from too cold or too wet weather, about one year in five.
The heads are mostly sent to Paris, and sell there at from forty cents
to $1 per dozen. Even at these rates the crop is a profitable one, often
bringing $300 per acre after paying the cost of marketing. Land is worth
from $24 to $40 per acre. For three or four weeks in spring there are
sent from Angiers to Paris, on an average, forty car-loads per day. In
the immediate vicinity of Paris large quantities of cauliflower are
grown for market.
In some parts of Germany the cauliflower is a very popular crop. Around
Erfurt, which is nearly in the center of the empire, greater care is
taken with its cultivation than probably anywhere else in the world, and
large quantities are grown for seed. The late James Vick has told
(Report Mich. Pom. Soc., 1874, p. 206,) how the low swampy land around
Erfurt is thrown up into wide beds with ditches between, from which,
every dry day, the water is dipped upon the plants. In Austria, also,
cauliflower is a well-known vegetable, and several valuable varieties
have originated in that country. Few seedsmen offer a more complete list
of varieties than those of Vienna. In Italy the cauliflower has long
been known, and in some places is a staple food of the poorer classes.
Most of our standard late varieties are of Italian origin.
In Holland, cauliflowers are grown not only for home use and for seed,
but also for the early London market. Around London the cauliflower has
been extensively grown for a longer time than anywhere else, and it is
there regarded as one of the most important garden crops. A recent
English writer says: "With the exception of the potato, I question
whether there is another vegetable to be compared with the cauliflower
for general usefulness." Hundreds of acres are devoted to it near
London, a large portion being under glass for the early crop. Formerly
the cauliflower crop was all cut and sent to market, with the exception
of a small portion saved for seed; but of late, extensive fields are
purchased entire by Crosse and Blackwell for pickling purposes.
In the United States there are a few points where the growing of
cauliflower for market is assuming considerable importance. On Long
Island, in 1879, the crop was estimated by Oemler at 100,000 pounds,
besides what was used for pickling. In 1885 Brill estimated the total
crop of Suffolk County at about 125,000 barrels. In 1889, the value of
the crop sold from Suffolk County was estimated at $200,000, nine-tenths
of all the cauliflowers sent to the New York market being grown in that
county. At Farmingdale and Central Park, in 1888, two pickle factories
used five hundred barrels of cauliflowers, besides the usual proportion
of other vegetables. Much of the crop from Long Island is now sent to
markets beyond New York. Philadelphia receives but little good
cauliflower except that which comes from Long Island. The same is true
of the city of Washington. The receipts in the latter city from Long
Island for the three fall months of 1890 were about 20,000 barrels.
The Chicago market is seldom fully supplied with cauliflowers and the
price there averages fully as good as anywhere in the country.
Considerable amounts are grown near the city, and small quantities are
shipped in from Michigan, Wisconsin, Central Illinois, and even from
California. One pickle factory at Crystal Lake, near Chicago,
contracted, in 1874, for 16 acres of cauliflowers, besides other
produce. The pickle factories always furnish a market for any surplus
when the price is low, or the heads have become disfigured in any way.
In fact, the supply of home grown cauliflowers is always insufficient
for pickling purposes, and large amounts have to be annually imported,
notwithstanding the tariff, which, formerly ten per cent., ad valorum,
is now forty-five per cent. Imported cauliflowers are brought mainly
from Germany and Holland, and come packed in brine in 60 gallon casks.
Large quantities of mixed pickles containing cauliflower are also
imported.