Ch.XXI.] ON CABBAGES. 257 



tlie drainings from the stable, and the hole in which the plant is to he 

 dibbled should be saturated with water; the earth closely pressed around the 

 plant, and again well wetted. Notwithstanding all this care the plants will 

 droop for a while, and if the weather remain dry, they must be again 

 plentifully watered ; or, according as the season may prove more or less 

 kind, many of them will die, and the gaps must be filled up from plants still 

 remaining in the beds. The distance between the plants, singly, is com- 

 monly the same as that between the rows, — namely 2h to 3 feet ; but 

 the latter is certainly the smallest space which should be allowed to the 

 larger species, which will thus bear 4800 plants per acre. 



In order that the roots may have as much as possible equal benefit 

 from the air, some persons place the plants in the second and fourth drills, 

 half-way between those which are in the first and third drills; but we 

 doubt whether any real advantage is thereby gained, and it prevents 

 the ground from being wrought by the horse-hoe, both along and across 

 the ridges. This is a material inconvenience, not only in the cleansing of 

 the land, but in the earthing up of the jjlants, which should be done at least 

 twice with the double mould-board plough : — the first time about three or 

 four weeks after the cabbages are planted, and the second as soon after 

 the first as they appear to require it, which is commonly in about a month. 

 When this mode of planting is adopted, the land should therefore be laid 

 flat, and it may then be worked diagonally, thus: — 



PRODUCE AND VALUE. 



It is no uncommon thing to raise single cabbages that weigh 40 lbs., and 

 if we suppose the roots upon an acre to weigh on an average 20 lbs. 

 each, and one to be planted on every square yard, the produce would 

 amount to fortv-three tons: it is indeed nut uncommonly calculated to aver- 

 age thirty ; but we believe that few crops, except under peculiarly favour- 

 able circumstances, reach to that extent. They are greatly esteemed by 

 those farmers who have land capable of growing them, as they are not 

 only highly convenient as a substitute for turnips during frosty weather, 

 but also afford an admirable change of food, as they are much relished by 

 cattle, and are found very nutritious when used with the addition of sound 

 hay. either for stall-feeding or for the dairy. Hogs prefer them to 

 turnips; and they are excellent for rearing calves and toothless crones. 

 An acre of good cabbages is thus considered by many men as worth two of 

 turnips, and is very generally thought equal to one and a half*. V/e 

 do not, however, know of any accurate comparisons having been made 

 between the two crops ; hut considering the superiority of the land usually 

 devoted to the culture of cabbages, and the greater quantity of manure 

 commonly employed, it may be fairly assumed that the presumption is just, 

 so far as regards the difference of nutritive properties between common 

 turnips and cabbages ; though in Swedes it can only exist when supported 



* See the Reports of Suffolk, 3rd edit. p. 120. Surrey, p. 272. Essex, vol. i. p. 378. 

 Cambridge, p. lO'J. Dickson's Lancashire, p. 3G3. Young's Norfolk, p. 321. 



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