THE CABBAGE. 243 



the hot-bed or nursery-bed, the plants should not be allowed 

 to stand too thickly together, as this causes them to draw up 

 weak and feeble. 



To raise Seed. At the time of harvesting, select a few 

 of the most compact and best-formed heads possessing the 

 characters of the pure variety ; and, in the following April, 

 set the plants entire, three feet apart in each direction. As 

 they progress in growth, remove all of the side-shoots, and 

 encourage the main sprout, that will push up through the 

 centre of the head. Seeds from the side-shoots, as well as 

 those produced from decapitated stems, are of little value. 

 No cabbage-seed is really reliable that is not obtained from 

 firm and symmetrical heads ; and seed thus cultivated for 

 a few successive seasons will produce plants, ninety per 

 cent, of which will yield well-formed and good-sized Cab- 



American grown seed is generally considered superior to 

 that of foreign growth ; and, when it can be obtained from a 

 reliable seedsman or seeds-grower, the purchaser should not 

 be induced by the difference in price to select the nominally 

 cheaper, as there are few vegetables with which the char- 

 acter of the seed is of greater importance. 



Varieties. The varieties are numerous, and the distinc- 

 tion, in many instances, well-defined and permanent. Be- 

 tween some of the sorts, however, the variations are slight, 

 and comparatively unimportant. 



This is a variety of the Early York ; the Atkins's 



J J Matchless: 



head, however, is smaller and more conical, Mcint. 



and the leaves are more wrinkled, somewhat similar to those 

 of the Savoys. It is of tender texture and delicate flavor ; 

 and, with the exception of its smaller size, is considered 

 equal, if not superior, to the last-named variety. 



It is comparatively a recent sort, and seems to be desirable 



