GARDEN VEGETABLES — CABBAGE AND BORECOLE. 



llio lioails are iisoil up, llic stalks should be dug out, and planted close topretber 

 rii n fraiiu', and protected from the severity of winter, air and li;;bt bciiifr admitted 

 at all favorable opportunities. In this way, the small buKnns may be cut as wanted, 

 ami will furnish many a fjood dish, far superior to the common drum-head cabbatrc. 



Green Vurlvd, or Siberian Borecole (Scotch Kale). — A very hardy, f^ood llavorc(l, 

 and beautifully curled variety. The head, when well frnnvn, will si>read two feet 

 in diameter. The betrinninj; of May is soon enoutrh to sow the seed, and the 

 jilants may finally be i>ut out two feet a])art. The tops are ready for use through 

 the winter, and, where the climate is very severe, it is best to lay the jtlants down 

 in the following? manner : llemove the soil (about si.\ inches dec])) alon^' one side 

 of a row, and close to the stems ; afterwards, bend them over into this excavation ; 

 they will then lie sideways, with the roots firm in the j^round, and as they jijrovv. 

 In opening the next trench, cover the stalks of the former row with the earth 

 taken out of this, and so on over the whole piece. Throw over the tops of any 

 kind of clean haulm, or straw, to keep off the sun's rays when in a frozen state, 

 and the heads may be cut as wanted. 



Purple Borecole. — This is a very hardy sort, of a dark purple color. In other 

 respects, similar to the above, and may be treated in the same manner. 



Turnip-rooted Borecole. — The stems of this variety have the peculiar property 

 of swelling out laterally, and forming somewhat the shape of a turnip. All j^arts 

 of the plant are good as food, excepting the underground roots. It answers the 

 double capacity of turnip and borecole, and ought to be more generally cultivated. 

 Treated as the above — only planted some sixteen inches closer — it will be service- 

 able at the same time. 



All the Cabbage tribe will do tolerably well in almost any kind of soil, but arc 

 more profitable, and of ranch better quality, when liberally supplied with fertilizing 

 material. A fresh and somewhat strong, turfy loam, deeply worked, and well 

 drained, with plenty of barnyard manure, or the next best substitute, decayed 

 leaves or swamp muck mixed with guano, will invariably bring the greatest profits, 

 and give the most satisfaction. When well cared for, there is no crop that pays 

 better for the market gardener, wdiile, on the contrary, there is only a meagre 

 return. So much is the difference, in this respect, that one person will realize 

 over five hundred dollars to the acre, while another will not get more, than fifty. 



Those kinds which are advised to be sown in September for the first early crop, 

 will require protection in winter. This may be accomplished by pricking out the 

 young plants four inches apart, in a cold frame with glass sashes, or a framing of 

 boards and shutters. Whichever may l)e used, be careful to give abundance of 

 air at all favorable opportunities, but keep close, and in the dark, at all times 

 when the frost is very intense, and the atmosphere bright and clear. The sun's 

 rays striking immediately upon the frosted plants, causes sudden thaw, and often 

 kills them. When the fall sowing has not been attended to, the seed may be sown 

 early in February, on a slight hotbed, and treated as recommended for cauliflowers 

 in a former article, which see. 



The insect which infests the Cabbage, is ih^fly — a minute beetle, that jumps 

 like a flea. It attacks the plants in the seed leaf, and continues its ravages until 

 they attain a considerable size. In hot and dry weather, in the summer time, it 

 is most abundant and destructive, but does little harm during the cool season, or 

 when rain is abundant. The best preventive which I have found out, is a dusting 

 of caustic lime, wood ashes, or a light sprinkling of guano, when the dew is on 

 the leaves. In some poor or long-worked soil, the roots and tops become infested 



ith a glaucous, green Ap)his, which congregates together very numerously, 

 be prevented, at the roots, by dipping them in powdered lime before 



