374 Cu-l twation of Arable Land. Callages Methods of planting of . 



longitudinal and crofs direction, and of courfe the foil between the plants be not 

 only ftirrcd in the molt effectual manner, but the mod completely laid up to the 

 roots of the plants, and their growth the rnoft fully promoted. Where the larger 

 varieties of cabbage are employed, and the land is fufficiently ftrong, this may 

 therefore in general be the moft advantageous diftance ; but where the fmallcr 

 varieties are made life of, and the ground is of a lefs ftrong and rich quality, 

 two feet and a half may be the molt proper and beneficial diftance. Other cul 

 tivators, however, follow a different practice ; fome preferring four feet by two 

 feet and a half, while others advife only two feet by twenty inches, or even 

 eighteen inches. In thefe diftances the cabbages are, however, under thenecefiity 

 of being hand-hoed between the plants in the rows; the intervals only being clean 

 ed by the plough.* The culture cannot, of courfe, be by any,means fo perfectly 

 performed ; the foil in the former method being wholly removed except the 

 fmall portions immediately about the roots of the plants ; while in thefe, much of 

 it muft remain untouched, and be not only left in a more foul condition for fuc- 

 ced ing crops, but lefs beneficial in promoting the growth of the cabbages. f 



But whatever diftances may be thought the moft advantageous, it will con- 

 ftantly be neceflary to attend to the manner of fetting them out, the fize of 

 the plants, and the mode of taking them up from the feed-beds, as much de 

 pends upon thefe operations being properly performed. In fetting the plants 

 out, in the ridge method, it is neceflary to have them placed in lines as regularly 

 as poflible, according to the diftances employed, along the middle or crown of 



* MarfhaU s Rural Economy of the Midland Counties, vol. I. p. 211 ; and Young s EafternTour, 

 vol. IV. 



T The experiments and observations of Mr. Baker, in the cultivation of cabbages in the field, led 

 him to recommend the following as the moll fuitable diftances for the different varieties which he 

 employed. 



Varieties. Season. Distances. 



Long-fided Cabbage Winter Plants 2 feet by 4, or 18 inches fey 4 feet- 



Flat Dutch Cabbage do. do. do. by do. or do. by do. 



Scotch Cabbage do. do. do. by do. or do. by do. 



Flat Dutch Cabbage Spring Plants 18 inches by 4 feet. 



Scotch Cabbage do. do. do. by do. 



Turnip Cabbage do. do. 1 foot by do. 



The nature of the foils on which they were cultivated is not defcribed. 



For all .{he larger forts of cabbages on the different forts of ftrong rich foils, the moft advantageous 

 diftances may be three feet each way ; and on the more light foils two feet anil a half. 



But for the fmaller forts two ieet each way on the ftrong foils, and eighteen or twenty inches in 

 fuch as are light. 



