VEGETABLE GROWING IN NEW SOUTH WALES. 45 



This vegetable has, perhaps, a wider range than any other, being more or 

 less successfully grown in practically every district in the State. It is 

 essentially a cool-climate plant, and when grown in the hot districts must 

 be planted so as to mature before the heat of summer. Nearly any soil will 

 grow cabbage successfully if sufficient manure and decaying vegetable matter 

 are added to keep it in good physical and chemical condition. Alluvial soils 

 and those of basaltic formation will, however, be found most suitable. 



The soil should be worked deeply, and any stable manure or compost well 

 worked in. Should any slow-acting artificial manures, such as bonedust, be 

 used, it is advisable to work half the quantity into the soil some weeks ahead 

 of planting. 



Good seed is of the utmost importance. Most commercial growers are 

 fully aware of this fact, and grow selected strains for their own requirements. 

 Good seed should give a 90 per cent, germination, and should not be kept for 

 more than three years after harvesting. As there is little difference between 

 one and two-year-old seed, it is advisable for the grower to buy his supply of 

 seed one year in advance. This allows of a small portion being planted, so 

 that its relative value may be gauged one year in advance. Two or three 

 ounces of seed is more than sufficient to supply plants for one acre. 



Raising the Plants. 



The best method of raising plants is to sow the seed in drills in the seed- 

 bed, allowing about four inches between the rows. Plants raised in this 

 manner are usually sturdy, and differ from the lanky plants obtained from 

 beds where the seed has been thickly broadcasted. The seed should be sown 

 thinly, and each ounce of seed should sow a length of about 200 feet. 



The seed-bed should be about 4 feet wide, and should allow of half being 

 weeded from each side. A bed large enough to produce plants for one acre 

 when seed is broadcasted would be 20 feet long and 4 feet wide. It is always 

 advisable to put in sufficient seed to raise more plants than are actually 

 needed. This allows for loss by pests, faulty germination, and the transplant- 

 ing of healthy plants only. 



The young plants should not be forced in the seed-bed and should receive 

 plenty of light so that stocky plants will be produced. 



Under ordinary conditions plants should be ready for transplanting in six 

 weeks from sowing, cooler weather conditions taking a little longer. If 

 possible choose a dull day to carry out this work : should the weather be hot 

 it should be done either early in the morning or late in the afternoon and the 

 plants given some protection by means of light bush or fern covering. 



Distance of Planting. 



The distance of planting varies according to the variety used. For the 

 .smaller varieties, such as St. John's Day, 2 feet 6 inches x 2 feet is sufficient, 

 and for larger sorts, as Savoy and Succession, 3 feet x 2 feet. If the soil is 

 of poor quality the plants should be given more room, and should be planted 

 3 feet x 3 feet. When planted at this latter distance on rich soils there is a 

 tendency for the plants to become too large. 



