HORTICULTURE. 437 



HORTICULTURE. 



Cabbage experiments and culture, C. P. Close and T. H. White (Maryland 

 Sia. Bui. 133, pp. 175-190. figs. J/). — An account is given of cultural and variety 

 tests together with general directions for the culture and care of cabbage 

 and a discussion by H. J. Patterson on the chemical composition of the cab- 

 bage plant, this discussion being based upon analyses made in 1893 but not 

 hitherto published. 



The authors being of the opinion that the susceptibility to rot and disease 

 of cabbages growing on very rich, highly cultivated land is due more to some- 

 thing unsuitable in the soil rather than to the direct attacks of bacteria or 

 fungi, a study was made to determine the effect of stable manure, of various 

 chemical fertilizers, and of different cultural treatments, such as ridge plant- 

 ing, level planting, and proper drainage as correctives of the condition favoring 

 the development of cabbage diseases. The experiments were conducted for 

 three seasons upon a piece of rather stiff clay land that had been manured 

 and planted to truck crops for many years, and upon which cabbage had pre- 

 viously rotted badly. The various treatments given failed to act as correctives 

 of the supposed excessive salts or poisonous matter in the soil. Good cabbages, 

 on the other hand, were grown on soils of the same character and drainage 

 conditions with the exception that the land had been in sod from which hay 

 had been cut. It is concluded that whereas early cabbages do best on soils 

 that are rich and full of humus, late cabbages generally do best on a sod field 

 broken early in the spring and well manured. 



The varieties tested are classed into 3 general types relative to their disease 

 resistance. The disease-resistant stock all appeared to conform to one type 

 of vigorous growth with green or purplish-greeu curled aud crinkled leaves. 

 This type was found to be quite disease resistant and hardy, remaining in the 

 field throughout the winter, and producing seed in the spring. Cabbages of 

 the Savoy type were also fairly disease resistant, standing conditions that 

 usually destroyed cabbage of the ordinary Flat Dutch type. The ball-headed 

 varieties were most subject to disease. 



A comparative test of low priced aud high priced fertilizers indicated that 

 the former sometimes give as good results as the latter. It appears, however, 

 that the same results can not be expected from any particular brand of fer- 

 tilizer under all conditions of soil and seasons. On the whole, the use of a 

 fertilizer with a high nitrogen content is recommended. In raising late 

 cabbage plants many growers are in the habit of using a piece of poor light 

 soil for a seed bed, to which is applied a very liberal dressing of commercial 

 fertilizers. This appears to produce toughened plants quite resistant to checks 

 from transplanting. Experiments were conducted for two years to determine 

 a fertilizer suitable for this purpose. The results indicate that it is profitable 

 to use nitrate of soda on the plant beds at the rate of 450 to 600 lbs. per acre. 



Variety tests of Fi-euch and American cabbages have been carried on for 

 several years. The names aud average weights in pounds and ounces per head, 

 together with remarks on the general character of each variety, are given. 



With an analysis of the dry matter and principal mineral constitutents of 

 different parts of the mature cabbage plant as a basis it is estimated that an 

 acre of cabbage yielding 4,000 mature heads and 500 immature plants will 

 remove from the soil 11.6 lbs. of phosphoric acid, 57 lbs. of potash and 33.5 lbs. 

 of nitrogen. 



Growing' better g'ems, J. Tkoop and C. G. Woodbury (Indiana Sta. Bui. 135, 

 pp. 3-JI. fi(js. 8). — A further i-eport on investigations being conducted by the 

 station with a view of improving the Indiana cantaloup industry (E. S. K., 19, 



