124 Cabbages. ' [Part II. 



future. An otince of each sort of seed would, perhaps, 

 he enough ; and the cost is, when compared with the 

 object, too trifling to be thought of 



189. Notwithstanding all that I have said, or can 

 say, upon the subject of cabbages, I am very well 

 aware, that the extension of the cultivation of them, in 

 America, will be a work of tirne. A proposition to do 

 any thing new, in so common a calling as agriculture, 

 is looked at with suspicion ; and by some, with feelings 

 not of the kindest description; because it seems to 

 imply an imputation of ignorance in those to whom the 

 proposition is made. A little reflection will, howeAer, 

 suppress this feeling in men of sense ; and, those who 

 still entertain it may console themselves with the as- 

 surance, that no one will desire to compel them to have 

 stores of green, or moist, cattle-food in winter. To be 

 ashamed to be taught is one of the greatest of human 

 follies ; but, I must say, that it is a folly less prevalent 

 in America than in any other country with which I am 

 acquainted. 



190. Besides the disposition to reject novelties, this 

 proposition of mine has hooks to contend against. I 

 read, last fall, in an x\merican Edition of the Encyclo- 

 psedia Britannica, " greatly enlarged and impreocd," 

 some observations on the culture of cabbages as cattle- 

 food, which were well calculated to deter a reader of 

 that book from attempting the culture. I do not recol- 

 lect the icords ; but the substance was, that this plant 

 could not be cultivated to advantage by the farmer is 

 Abierica. This was the more provoking to me, as I 

 had, at that moment, so fine a piece of cabbages in 

 Long Island. If the American Editor of this work had 

 given his readers the bare, unimproved, Scotch Edition, 

 the reader would have there seen, that, in England and 

 Scotland, they raise sixty-eight tons of cabbages {tons 

 mind) upon an acre ; and that the whole expense of an 

 acre, exclusive of rent, is one pound fourteen shillings 

 and a penny ; or seven dollars and seventy-five cents. 

 Say that the expense in America is double and the 

 crop one half, or one fourth, if you like. Where are 

 seventeen tons of green food in winter, or even in sum- 

 mer, to be got for sixteen dollars? Nay, where is that 



