Part 10 (1/2)

LENORMAND (_Ancient Lenormand_, _Late Lenormand_, _Lenormand Extra Large_, _Lenormand Mammoth_).--Vilmorin said, in 1883: ”It is now a score of years since the attention of the trade was called to this variety, princ.i.p.ally because of its beauty and its great hardiness against cold. The Lenormand is in appearance but little different from the Half Early Paris (_Demi-dur_). The leaves are only a little larger.

It certainly requires a little less care than other varieties, but its chief merit is having given birth to the Lenormand Short-stemmed, which is to-day one of the most generally prized.”

M. May describes and figures this variety in the _Revue Horticole_ for 1880. In the _Journal of the Central Horticultural Society of France_ for 1857 is a report of a committee of that society upon this variety as grown on the grounds of M. Lenormand near Paris, it having been introduced by that gentleman in 1852 from Halle, in Central Germany, where it was then largely cultivated. The committee made a very flattering report, finding the Lenormand much finer than the other varieties, Half Early Paris, Erfurt, and Alma, growing in the same field.

In this country the Lenormand was formerly a popular variety, being frequently mentioned, as long ago as 1858, with the Early Paris as one of the two best varieties. Since then it has been displaced by the following:

LENORMAND SHORT-STEM.--This variety, derived from the Lenormand, is described by Vilmorin in 1883 as follows: ”The aspect of this variety is very characteristic, and enables it to be distinguished easily from all others when it is well grown. The stem, extremely short, strong and stocky, is furnished down to the level of the earth with short, large, rounded leaves, slightly undulated except on the borders, very firm and stiff, and more spreading than upright; color deep green, slightly glaucous; head very large and solid, beautifully white, and keeping in condition a long time. This variety is early, productive, hardy against cold and drouth, and requires comparatively little room.

Its rapid extention in cultivation within the last few years is not therefore surprising.”

[Ill.u.s.tration]

To this it may be added that the variety is sold by nearly all our American seedmen and is a popular variety for a fall crop, especially at the South. Its large, solid, cream-colored heads are not however as well protected by the leaves as those of most other medium early or late sorts.

LENORMAND'S SHORT-STEMMED MAMMOTH (_Lenormand's Extra Large Short-Stemmed_).--This appears to be a selection from the Lenormand Short-stem. It is offered under the second of the above names by Vilmorin, and under the first by Gregory and other American seedsmen.

LONG ISLAND BEAUTY (Brill), see _Early Padilla_. At the Colorado station, in 1888, seeds of Long Island Beauty obtained from Low appeared to be an inferior stock, and gave heads which were loose and yellowish. For the origin of this variety see Early Padilla.

MALTA GIANT (Burpee), see _Giant Malta_.

MARTIN'S PRESIDENT.--As grown by Mr. R. Gilbert at Burghley, England, in 1885, this variety stood the exceptionally dry season better than Best of All, s...o...b..ll, Early Erfurt, or Veitch's Autumn Giant.--(_Gardening Ill.u.s.trated_, 1885, p. 438).

MAULE'S PRIZE EARLIEST, see _Prize_.

MITCh.e.l.l'S HARDY EARLY.--Said by F. Burr, in 1866, to be ”a new variety, bouquet not large, but handsome and compact. It is so firm that it remains an unusual length of time without running to seed or becoming pithy.”

MODEL.--The Northrup, Braslan & Goodwin Co., of Minneapolis, Minnesota, the introducers of this variety, say in 1891: ”The history of our Model cauliflower we can give you in a few words: We have for several years been testing cauliflower seed from as many growers as possible, in order to secure a variety which we could identify with our name. We have never been fully satisfied until two years ago, when we received from a foreign grower a sample for trial. Upon testing this seed in our experimental grounds we found it so desirable that we arranged for the stock we are now selling, and which gives excellent satisfaction wherever grown. There are other varieties which produce as good heads and as early, but in our growths of this sort we have found a larger proportion of large, white, perfect heads than in any other strains we have tested.”

MOHAWK WHITE CAP (Nellis).--”Rather larger and later than Early [Extra Early] Erfurt and seems to be identical with s...o...b..ll from the same firm.”--(Ohio Exp. Station, 1889)

MT. BLANC.--Said by Buist, in 1890, to be one of the largest and finest for forcing, or the general crop. Stem medium; heads large, snow-white, well protected by the leaves, and of delicate flavor.

At the Oregon experiment station, in 1890, Carter's Mt. Blanc resembled Perfection in growth, but had somewhat larger heads.

NAPLES, GIANT, see _Veitch's Autumn Giant_.

NARROW-LEAVED ERFURT, see _Small-Leaved Erfurt_.

NE PLUS ULTRA.--A fine early variety, derived from the Giant Naples, having well-filled heads, often nine inches in diameter. Highly recommended by Wolfner and Weisz of Vienna, but little grown in this country.

NONPAREIL.--In most American catalogues this is given as synonymous with Half Early Paris. Buist and Rawson catalogue it as a separate variety, and Brill mentioned it in 1872 as a distinct variety.

At the New York experiment station, in 1885, a variety called Thorburn's Nonpareil matured among the half-early sorts at the same time as Lenormand Short-stem. J. M. Thorburn & Co. write me in 1891 that Nonpareil is a name which they gave to the Half Early Paris when they first introduced that variety to the trade in this country.

NORTHRUP, BRASLAN & GOODWIN CO.'S MODEL, see _Model_.

PADILLA, see _Early Padilla_.

PALERMO VIOLET.--A variety catalogued by Wolfner and Weisz, of Vienna, in 1888.

PAQUES.--A variety with fine white heads, usually cla.s.sed with the Broccolis. Catalogued by Vilmorin, in 1890.