CRUCIFERAE. LXXXIII. Brassica. 
Savoy. It produces an elongated stem, often four feet high, 
beset with numerous green heads like Savoys in miniature, the 
whole ranged spirally along the stem, the main leaves of which 
drop off early. The top of the plant resembles that of a Savoy 
planted late in the season; it is small, with a green heart of little 
value. Van Mons says, Hort. trans. vol. 3. “ If this vegetable be 
compared with any other that occupies as little space, lasts as long, 
and grows as well in situations generally considered unfavour- 
able, such as between rows of potatoes, scarlet-runners or among 
young trees, it must be considered superior in utility to most 
others.” Nicol considers it deserving more general culture in 
Scotland ; and Morgan, Hort. trans. vol. 2. says itis an excellent 
sort of green for the winter, but not sufficiently hardy to last 
through the winter in England. The sprouts are used as winter 
greens, and at Brussels they are sometimes served at table with 
a sauce, composed of vinegar, butter, and nutmeg, poured upon 
them hot after they have been boiled. The top, Van Mons says, 
is very delicate when dressed, and quite different in flavour from 
the sprouts. The plants are raised from seed, of which an ounce 
may be requisite for a seed-bed 4 feet by 10. The first sowing 
of a full crop should be in April. The second in May. Van 
Mons, in a paper already referred to, says, “ The seed is sown 
1n spring under a frame, so as to bring the plants forward ; they 
are then transplanted into an open border with a good aspect. 
By thus beginning early, and sowing successively till late in the 
season,” he says, “ we contrive to supply ourselves in Belgium 
with this delicious vegetable full ten months in the year, that is, 
from the end of July till the end of May. The plants need not 
be placed at more than 18 inches asunder, as the head never 
spreads wide, and the side leaves soon drop off. In this and 
every other respect, the cultivation is the same as the Borecole.” 
As to gathering the crop, Morgan says, the sprouts must have 
some frost before they are gathered, but this, Van Mons says, 
1S‘an erroneous opinion. In Belgium the small cabbages are not 
esteemed if of more than half an inch in diameter. It is usual 
to cut the tops off ten or fifteen days before gathering the sprouts 
from the stem. In spring, when the sprouts are disposed to run 
to flower, their growth is checked, by taking up the plants and 
laying them in the ground in a shaded spot. As to the saving 
of seeds, Van Mons says it is usual to save indiscriminately 
from topped or untopped plants, but that he intends to save 
them from the topped plants only, hoping thereby to improve 
the progeny. In order to procure genuine seed of the Brussels 
Sprouts, it is necessary to have them sent direct from Brussels. 
* * Chou de Milan is considered as a variety of the Brussels 
Sprouts, and it grows with an elongated stem something like it 
as well as in general habit, except that the side shoots, instead of 
forming little close cabbages, are open like Borecoles. The prin- 
cipal leaves of this plant are not very large ; they are wrinkled 
like the Savoy, and form a small crown on the top of the plant, 
which remains open and does not cabbage, the top may be cut 
off and used in February. Even if not wanted for use, the head 
should be taken off at that period to forward the growth of the 
Sprouts, which come into full use early in March, when those of 
the German kale are too far advanced. When dressed they are 
particularly rich and delicate. Abercrombie says this plant, to 
admit of its full growth, requires a yard square, but that it con- 
tinues the longest in spring of any of the tall greens without 
running to seed. The cultivation, in every other respect, is the 
Same as the Borecoles or Brussels sprouts. 
To save seed. The grand object is to place the plants where 
they will be in no danger of being impregnated with the farina 
of any other. of the Bréssica tribe. A few good plants should 
be selected and planted in an open spot by themselves in the 
Spring, where the seeds will ripen in August. No more than 
one sort can be safely grown in the same garden, &c. 
1 
231 
§ 4 Cabbage. Chou pomme, or Cabus, Chou en tete, Chou 
pommé a feuilles lisses, Brassica Oleracea, D. capitata, D. C. 
l. c. Kopfkohl, (Ger.) Cavolo, Capuccia. (Ital.) ` 
* Warre CABBAGE. 
The varieties of the White Cabbage are too well known, and 
their uses too universal, to require any description here. They 
~produce firm compact heads, glaucous green, or greenish-yellow 
leaves externally, but blanched within; and varying in different 
sorts from 3 to 12 or 15 inches in diameter, and from 2 to 15 
or twenty pounds weight. ‘The varieties are numerous, but the 
sorts chiefly cultivated are as follow :— 
* Heads oblong, or elliptical. 
. Small early dwarf Ì 
Brássica oleràcea, D. Capi- 
tata, S, elliptica D. C. 1. c. 
Chou atete ovale, Chou d’ York, 
Large oblong hollow 
Long-sided hollow §e. (Fr.) 
* * Heads conical. 
. Early dwarf sugar-loaf 
. Large sugar-loaf 
. East Ham 
. West Ham 
. Early Battersea 
Late Battersea 
Early Imperial 
. Wellington 
. Antwerp 
. Russian 
. Early London hollow 
. Large hollow sugar-loaf 
. Emperor 
Early heart-shaped 
. Paington 
16. Plaw’s early Deptford 
This last variety is excellent, both for early and late crops. 
*** Heads large round. 
1. Large round winter white ? 
. Early dwarf, York 
. Large early York 
Or A Go 20 
Brassica oleracea, D. Capi- 
tata, E. conica, D. C. 1. c. 
Chou pain de sucre, Chou 
chicon, Chou d’Ambervilliers, 
Chou de Battersea, §c., (Fr.) 
ONDA oHm 
Brassica olerdcea, D. Capi- 
tata, B. sphe’rica alba. 
( Chou cabus commun, Chou 
2. Great round Scotch, or 
White Strasbourgh, from which 
the German sour krout is chiefly pommé commun, &c. (Fr.) 
made. 
**#* Meads with flat tops. 
Brássica oleràcea, D. Capi- 
l. Great drum-head flat- tàta, a depressa. , 
topped Chou pomme à tete aplatie. 
2. Bainbrige’s flat Dutch Audib. 
*.+ss Heads obovate. 
1. Obovate headed Cabbage, or 
Pentonville. This is a large obo- 
vate-headed kind; leaves white 
and fleshy, wrinkled like the 
savoy. Very delicate and fine, 
in perfection during the latter 
summer months, when other cab- 
bages are of strong flavour. l 
The first seven or eight sorts are suitable for the earliest and 
secondary crops ; and the middle-sized and large kinds for the 
principal summer, autumn, and winter supplies. 1. For the 
earliest crops allot some of the small kinds, such as the Early 
dwarf York, East and West Ham, Early Imperial, Early Bat- 
tersea, Wellington, Early London hollow, Early dwarf sugar-loaf, 
Plaw’s early Deptford, &c., for cabbaging in April, May, and 
June, 2. Raise more considerable quantities of the middle-sized 
Brassica oleracea, D. Capi- 
tata, y obovata D.C. 1. c. 
Chou à tete obovale Audib. 
It appears from the descrip- 
tion that the Pentonville Cab- 
bage is a variety of Savoy. 
