Cultivation of Arable Land. Cabbages Seed proper for. 171 



of the plants. In fomc diftricts, however, a practice prevails of fp read ing the 

 manure upon the land and turning it in with the firft ploughing. In this way 

 the ground ii fuppofed to be prevented from becoming too open by the 

 action of the manure, and the danger of the plants being injured in droughty 

 feafons prevented. It is obvious, however, that in this mode much of the benefit 

 to be derived from the manure mud be loft by its remaining fo long incor 

 porated with the foil before the plants are put in, and that the great advan 

 tage of having it in its moil active and concentrated ftate immediately below 

 the roots of the plants muft be wanting. 



Seed. In the felecting of feed for railing young cabbage-plants, great care 

 (hould be taken that it be procured from themoft perfect plants of the different 

 kinds, and fuch as have feeded without any others of the fame tribe blowing 

 near them, as it is perhaps only in this method that they are capable of being 

 kept of a true kind. In this intention it may be of great advantage to have 

 the plants intended to Hand for feed planted out by themfelves in apiece of 

 ground at a diftance from the others ; and as birds are remarkably fond of the 

 feed, we?l fee u red from them. 



In purchafing feed of this fort, fuch as is new mould always be preferred, as it 

 not only vegetates much quicker,- but is more to be depended upon for a proper 

 upply of plants. In dry feafons, fteeping the feed in water, or forne other liquid, 

 may alfo be of utility. The beds on which the feed is fown mould be of a good 

 rich quality, well prepared by digging and the application of manure ; as, 

 where the foil is poor and not fufficiently enriched by manure, the plants are 

 apt to be weak and (tinted in their growth, as weM as much injured by the 

 rifing of weeds. Much injury frequently arifes to young cabbage plants from 

 the feed being fown too thick ; care fhould, therefore, be taken to have them 

 properly thinned out whenever they come up in too thick a manner. One 

 ounce or an ounce and a half of good feed may in general be fufficient for 

 fowing a bed fourteen or fifteen feet long, and five or fix feet in width, or for 

 Taifing two or three thoufand good plants; in which proportion half a pound 

 will afford more plants than are fufficient for planting an acre.* 



Time off owing. The periods of putting the feed into the ground muft de 

 pend much upon the intentions of the cultivator : where the produce is to be 

 confumed during the winter months, as in December, January or February, the 

 feed ihould be fown in July or Auguft the preceding year, and the plants be put 

 out in March, April, and May, the following year ; but if it be intended for con- 



* Young s Annals, vol. V, 

 Z 2 



