THE BOOK OF VEGETABLES 



CABBAGES 



IN these notes on Common Vegetables my aim will be 

 to advise as to the best flavoured varieties, the best 

 methods of culture, and the best means whereby an 

 extended season may be obtained. 



The Cabbage comes first in my notes, and I am not 

 sure but that the cabbage, next to the potato, is the 

 most useful of the vegetables with which it is my func- 

 tion to deal in this book. With a little timely attention, 

 there is no difficulty in having a full supply of good 

 cabbage from January to December, though I am aware 

 that in many gardens it is none too plentiful in the first 

 three months of the year. I do not think I can do better 

 than to take Spring Cabbage first, for of course this is 

 the most important supply, and the earlier it can be had 

 fit for table the better. But a point crops up in advising 

 as to the seasons for sowing and cropping ; the right 

 date, say, for Cornwall, would be wrong for the northern 

 portion of the kingdom. There can be no question 

 whatever but that during the past few years there has 

 been considerable improvement in this vegetable. The 

 large coarse cabbages are now less grown ; and in their 

 place we have the smaller compact growers, with better 

 flavour^ the last an important point, and one which I am 

 pleased that the Editor puts in the foreground. No 

 matter how common the vegetable, the flavour plays an 

 important part. It may be said that a cabbage can be 

 grown anywhere, and sown at any time, without any 



