Cultivation of Arable Land. Cabbages Application of Crops of. 179 



the method of culture, the goodnefs of the plants, and the favourablenefs of the 

 feafon about the time of planting them out. It may probably in general be elh- 

 mated at from twenty to thirty tons. In comparing the produce of cabbage 

 crops with thofe of turnips, in different modes of planting and on different kinds 

 of foil, it was found, taking the bed parts of the crops, that a medium acre of the 

 former, on good land, well managed, produced twenty-five tons, and of the latter 

 fifteen tons.* 



The value of the crops muft likewife be affected by various circumitances, as 

 the kinds of live flock by which they are confumed, the manner in which it is ac- 

 complifhed, and the fituation of the cultivator in refpect to markets; but in com 

 mon they may be calculated at from four or five to feven or ten pounds the acre. 



In the application or expenditure of cabbage crops, as they are often lia 

 ble to a confiderable diminution in the quantity or weight of food which they 

 contain, by (landing over the winter to the fpring months, it may be the beft 

 and moft economical practice to make ufe of thena late in the autumn, while 

 their leaves are in perfection, in completing the fattening of fuch neat cattle 

 or fheep as have been brought confiderably forward in the paftures during the 

 fummer feafon.t In this way there is much lefs lofs fuftained than is generally the 

 cafe where they are fuffered to ftand for fpring feed, by the decay and deftruc- 

 tion of the outfide leaves and other parts of the plants. In the feeding of 

 milch-cows at the fame period they may likewife be of very great utility, as 

 fupplying a large proportion of green food, whether the whole plant be made 

 ufe of, or only the more loofe green leaves, which may often be removed without 

 much injury to the cabbages. J In this method of application they have been 

 fhewn to be more beneficial than hay, given in any proportion, when only com 

 bined with draw ; and that the butter is not in any way injured by them while they 

 are given in a found ftate. When employed in this way without any combination 

 of other forts of food, as hay or ftraw, an acre has been found to be fufficient for 

 four or five cows, and with ftraw and a little hay for feven or eight.fj In this 

 mode of confuming cabbage crops, the cows fhould always beconfined to the farm 

 yards, and not fuffered to eat them after being fcattered on the ground; as in the 

 latter way the farmer muft fuftain injury, both in the treading of his lands and in 

 the lofs of a large portion of valuable manure. Befides, we fufpect that fuch fort 



* Young s Annals, vol. XII. f Young s Eaftern Tour, yol. IV. 



+ Corre&ed Report of Suffolk. \ Fanner s Magazine, Yol. III. 



|j Bath Papers. 



A a 2 



