J70 Calf motion of Arable Land Cabbages Preparation of Land for. 



as a cattle and fneep food, at the latter end of April or beginning of May, when 

 other forts of green feed are extremely fcarce and difficult to be procured.* 



Befides thef c, the varieties known by the titles of the Flat Dutch, the York- 

 Jbire, the Savoy, and fcveral others, may be made ufe of in fituations where 

 the climate is more mild.f 



The chief advantage of planting large-fized cabbages in the field is, that of 

 their being capable of being fet out at fuch diftances as to readily admit of 

 being cleaned and kept in order by the plough, without any lofs being fuf- 

 tained in the quantity of produce. Where the foil is not of great ftaple, and 

 the expcnce of hand labour reafonable, the fmaller forts may occafionally be 

 ma&amp;lt;ie ufe of with advantage. 



From the great iize, and the roots of plants of the cabbage kind penetrating 

 into the ground to a considerable depth, they fliould constantly be planted out 

 in fuch foils as are ftrong and have a good depth of mould ; as where this is not 

 the cafe they feklom attain their full growth. The moift friable loams and 

 loamy clays, on which turnips cannot be grown to advantage, are probably the 

 beft adapted to this fort of crops ; but they may be raifed with fuccefs on almoft 

 any of the heavier defcriptions of land. 



In the preparation of the ground, as the roots of the plants run deep, and (land 

 in need of a large proportion of nourifliment, a confiderable degree of pulverifa- 

 tion fhou Id be effected, and the foil be well lobfened to a good depth. Theft ef 

 fects may be produced in the moft perfect: manner, by repeated deep ploughing, 

 and expofing as large a furface as poflible to the action of the frofts during the 

 winter feafon by laying the land up into pretty high ridges. Three plough- 

 ings are moftly found fufficient for this purpofe ; but the number fliould always 

 vary according to the nature and Hate of the land. When this fort of crop 

 fucceeds wheat, barley, oats, or beans, the land is generally ploughed up in the 

 autumn by a pretty deep furrow, and formed into ridges of about three feet in 

 width ; in this ftate it may continue till the fpring, when it fhould be well 

 broken down by harrowing in different directions. It is then to be ploughed 

 again, but with fomewhat lefs depth than before. After this, as near as pof- 

 fible to the time of planting, the ground may again be well harrowed over, and 

 a furtable proportion of good ftable manure applied, as from fifteen to twenty 

 three-horfe cart loads to the acre ; or, where compofts are made ufe of, from 

 twenty to thirty, and immediately turned into, or inclofed in, the middle of the 

 jsidges. After this is accomplifhed, the land becomes ready for the reception 



* Modern Agriculture, vol. II. 



i MarfynV Edition of Miller s Diftienary, art, Brassica* 



