332 BOTANY OF CROP PLANTS 



smooth leaves, the whole forming the "head." A longitu- 

 dinal section of a cabbage head shows the terminal bud, and, 

 in some instances, rather well-developed axillary ones. 



Types. — There are numerous varieties of cabbages. They 

 have been grouped into a number of different types. These 

 types vary as to color, size, and shape of head and leaves, 

 texture of leaves, length of stalk, earUness, etc. As grouped 

 here, the types may be distinguished as follows: 



Key to Types of Common Head Cabbage 



Leaves smooth, not crimped or curled. 

 Leaves dark purple or red, Red cabbages. 

 Leaves glaucous-green. 



Heads cone-shaped, longer than broad (Fig. 137, A), Winningstadt and 



Wakefield cabbages. 

 Heads spherical (Fig. 137, B), Danish Ball Head cabbages. 

 Heads flat, broader than long (Fig. 137, C), Flat Dutch or Drumhead 

 cabbages. 

 Leaves crimped or curled, Savoy cabbages. 



The red varieties of cabbage are valued for pickhng and 

 slaw. The Wakefields are the ones most extensively grown 

 in trucking districts. There are two main types of Wake- 

 fields: True Jersey Wakefield which has small heads pointed 

 at the tip, and Charleston Wakefield, with a head broader, 

 flatter and more obtuse-pointed. Danish Ball Head cab- 

 bages are most used for storage purposes. The Savoy cab- 

 bages, especially when sHghtly frosted, are known for their 

 very excellent flavor. 



Uses. — Cabbage is grown as a market-garden, truck and 

 farm crop, and is best adapted to a cool climate. As a human 

 food, it is most generally boiled or used as slaw. Sauerkraut 

 is cabbage cut up into very fine pieces and allowed to ferment 

 in a brine made of its own juice with salt. The sour taste is 

 due to the presence of lactic acid, formed by the action of 



