Food for quantity of sulphate of potash should be added when 



Plants 



the land is sandy. 



154 



Cabbage and Cauliflower. 



For growing cabbages and cauliflower sow broad- 

 cast the same mixture as recommended for potatoes, 

 using a small handful to each square yard of ground, and 

 rake or harrow it in before sowing the seed. 



Cabbage requires a deep, mellow soil, and rich in 

 plant food. Early maturing cabbage, perhaps the most 

 profitable method of growing this vegetable, produces 

 30,000 pounds of vegetable substance to the acre, using 

 about 140 pounds of ammonia, 129 pounds of potash, 

 and 33 pounds of phosphoric acid, all as actually assimi- 

 lated plant food. The crop must be fertilized heavily. 

 As the soil is thoroughly fined in the spring, there should 

 be incorporated with it by rows, corresponding to the 

 rows of plants, about 1,500 pounds of fertilizer per 

 acre. For early cabbage set close together: it will pay 

 to sow the fertilizers broadcast over the whole ground 

 and work them in before setting out the plants. If the 

 land has been heavily manured for a number of years 

 Nitrate of Soda alone may do as much good as the 

 mixture. In this case, the Nitrate may be used after 

 the plants are set out a teaspoonful to a plant. 



For late cabbage, set 2^ to 3 feet apart each way. 

 It is a good plan to apply the fertilizers after the plants 

 are set out. 



After the plants have set and have rooted, say a 

 week from setting, apply along the rows a top-dressing 

 of 200 pounds of Nitrate of Soda per acre and work into 

 the soil with a fine toothed horse hoe; the soil must be 

 kept loose to a depth of at least two inches, and conse- 

 quently there will be no extra labor in working this 

 fertilizer into the soil. Some three weeks later incorpo- 

 rate in the same manner into the soil 300 to 400 pounds 

 of Nitrate of Soda. Soil Nitration cannot be depended 

 on under any circumstances for supplying enough 

 natural Nitrate for cabbage. Nitrate of Soda is the 

 only immediately predigested Nitrated ammoniate in 

 the market and is an absolute necessity for early cab- 



