62 CABBAGE 



out cabbages, or any other vegetable. We ought not) 

 however, to wait long for even this most favourable state 

 of the atmosphere, since, with a little labour, we have the 

 means of making up for its absence." Armstrong. 



" Dig the plants up, that is, loosen the ground under 

 them with a spade, to prevent their being stripped too much 

 of their roots. The setting stick should be the upper part 

 of a spade or shovel handle. The eye of the spade is the 

 handle of the stick. From the bottom of the eye, to the 

 point of the stick, should be about nine inches iri length. 

 The stick should not be tapering, but nearly of equal thick- 

 ness all the way down to within an inch and a half of the 

 point, where it must be tapered off to the point. If the 

 wood be cut away, all round, to the thickness of a dollar, 

 and iron put round in its stead, it makes a very complete 

 tool. The -iron becomes bright, and the earth does not 

 adhere to it as it does to wood. Having the plant in one 

 hand, and the stick in the other, make a hole suitable to 

 the root that it is to receive. Put in the root in such a 

 way, that the earth, when pressed in, will be on a level 

 with the but-ends of the lower or outward leaves of the 

 plant. Let the plant be rather higher than lower-than thi%; 

 for care must be taken not to put the plant so low as for 

 the earth to fall, or be washed into the heart of the plant, 

 nor even into the inside of the bottom leaves. The stem 

 of a cabbage, and the stems of all the cabbage kind, send 

 out roots from all the parts of them that are put beneath 

 the surface of the ground. It is good, therefore, to plant 

 as deep as you can without injury to the leaves. The next 

 consideration is, the fastening of the plant in the ground. 

 The hole is made deeper than the length of the root, but 

 the root should not be bent, at the point, if it can be avoid- 

 ed. Then, while one hand holds the plant, with its root 

 in the hole, the other hand applies the setting stick to the 

 earth on one side of the hole, the stick being held in such 

 a way as to form a sharp triangle with the plant. Then, 

 pushing the stick down, so that its point go a little deeper 

 than the point of the root, and giving it a little twist, it presses 

 the earth against the point, or bottom of the root. And 

 thus all is safe, and the plant is sure to grow." Cobbett. 



After-culture. Little more is necessary than to stir the 

 ground pretty frequently, and keep it clear of weeds. It 



