174 AGRICULTURE FOR COMMON SCHOOLS 



supports, while others are dwarf. For support, brush two 

 or three feet long can be stuck into the ground, or chicken 

 wire fastened to posts may be used. 



Cabbage-like Plants. — There are a number of vegetables 

 closely related to and resembling cabbage which are raised 

 in gardens for home or market purposes. Among these we 

 have cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, kale, 

 and kohl-rabi. All of these are much alike in the matter of 

 raising. Early plants are started in hot-beds or greenhouses 

 and then transplanted. For late plants the seed may be sown 

 in the open, but it is always best to transplant. 



The cauliflower is much like cabbage, and as soon as it be- 

 gins to head the outer leaves should be tied up together over 

 the centre to keep the sun out. Broccoli is much like cauli- 

 flower. Brussels sprouts has leaves like cabbage, but instead 

 of one large head, at the base of each leaf there is a small head 

 about two inches in diameter. This is the part used and it 

 is best in the autumn, usually after being frosted. Kale is 

 used somewhat like lettuce or "greens." It is also used late 

 in autumn. The kohl-rabi looks like a turnip with cabbage 

 leaves growing out all over it. It is cooked and used like 

 turnips. The seed is usually sown where the plants are to 

 grow and no transplanting is done. 



The Potato Family. — There are a number of garden plants 

 related to the potato, such as the tomato, pepper, and egg- 

 plant. These plants all had their origin in a warm climate 

 and cannot be planted in the open until the danger of frost is 

 past, and they are killed down by the first frost in the autumn. 

 To get an early start, young plants should be grown from seed 

 in the hot-bed or in boxes in the house, and hardened in the 

 cold-frame or exposed in the open to sunlight some days be- 



