CABBAGE 



197 



horseradish, cress, water cress, whose cultural directions 

 are given under this head ; among common weeds, the mus- 

 tard, French weed, false flax, pepper cress, shepherd's purse; 

 and many garden flowers, such as nasturtium, gillyflower, 

 candytuft, and alyssum. 



CABBAGE (Brassica oleracea) 



Description. Native of Europe and western Asia. A 

 biennial. It grows wild to the height of three or four feet, 



Fig. 78. Cross section of cabbage head, showing 

 arrangement of stem and leaves, and that it is simply 

 a big terminal bud. 



and scarcely resembles any of our cultivated kinds. The 

 part of cabbage eaten is termed the head, and is simply a 

 cluster of leaves enwrapping the top of the stem, or is, in 

 other words, a large bud. It attains the height of three or 

 four feet and then goes to seed. The flowers are generally 

 yellow in color, and conspicuous, though not large. 



