C AU Verity of winter. Thus, and espe- cially by the latter method, the plants will, in the spring, become firmly rooted, and consequently produce larger blossoms than those which are set in that season. The cauliflowers planted out at Michaelmas, will blow about three weeks sooner than those set in the spring; nevertheless, it is neces- sary to make plantations in both seasons, that there may be a con- stant succession of crops. Care should, at the same time, be taken to set them where they may not be exposed too much to the sun, and also to water them well, which will contribute greatly to their growth: M. Bechstein, a Ger- man writer, however, asserts, that they will thrive most luxuriantly in the open fields. — As soon as the blossoms begin to appear, it will be requisite to break oft* the large leaves, and lay over the flowers, in order to shelter them from the rain, and the scorching heat of the sun, which would otherwise cause them to turn yellow. As cauliflowers are apt to be da- maged by the wind, and sometimes to be blown up by the roots, parti- cularly during the months of March and April, they require to be safely protected from its violence. For such plants, therefore, as blossom early, and have large, close flow- ers, we would recommend the practice adopted in some parts of England, namely, of allowing some of the most forward ones to re- main for seed, and tying them care- fully to stakes, to prevent their re- ceiving any injury from the wind. As soon as the pods are full grown, and the seeds have arrived at ma- turity, the whole stalk must be cut off, and dried, previously to the eeeds being rubbed out} as they CAU [469 are liable to be shed, "if left upon the plants, till the seed-vessels are dry. The proper method of dressing cauliflower for the table being sufficiently understood, we shall only add, that among the succu- lent plants produced in our cli- mate, this doubtless is one of die most nourishing, and likewise the best adapted to tender organs of digestion, especially in valetudina- rians and invalids: such persons, however, ought to eat it with the addition of some aromatic spice, such as pounded cardamoms, or caraway — or a small proportion of bread. CAUSTICS, in medicine, are remedies, the operation of which resembles that of fire ; by destroy- ing the texture of the part to which they are applied, and converting it into a substance not unlike burnt flesh. Those bodies which possess cau- sticity, are, when taken internally, mortal poisons : so powerful is their action, in general (for instance, arsenic), that cautious physicians hesitate to prescribe it, even exter- nally. There are, however, seve- ral others, which may be in a great measure divested of this deleterious quality, such as the nitrous acid, or aqua fortis ; lunar caustic, or a solution of silver in nitrous acid ; common caustic, or pure kali ; ei- ther of which are daily and success- fully used, especially for extirpat- ing fungous flesh, removing warts, &c. — See Cautery. The causticity of bodies depends, principally, on the state of the sa- line and acid matters which they contain. When the latter are con- centrated and attached to the sub- stances with which they are com- bined, they possess great a6tivity, Hh3 and
