68 



Bulletin 242. 



growing cabbage for a number of years. Second, early planting. This 

 gives time for full growth and development of the heads. Third, uniform 

 stand. The number of plants per acre may vary between seven and ten 

 thousand. As with many other tilled crops, however, it is more essential 

 to have the largest number of plants possible in the rows, and the rows 

 wide enough apart to permit free use of horse implements in tillage. 

 This may cut down the number of plants per acre, but it will be econom- 

 ical in the end. 



General Treatment. 



The plants must never receive a check. Three or four days after 

 transplanting or after thinning, they should receive an application of 50 

 pounds of nitrate of soda per acre; this may be applied near the rows 



Fig. 1 3 . — Heads which burst are useless for sale. They do not keep well in storage. 



with a drill if feasible, or be sown broadcast and harrowed in at some 

 time when the leaves of the plants are dry, for if they are wet and it dis- 

 solves on the leaves it will burn them. This application may be repeated 

 twice more, at intervals of ten or fourteen days, making a total application 

 of 200 pounds of nitrate of soda per acre ; even 300 pounds may fre- 

 quently be used with profit. No crop will give better returns for such 



