SAVOY. 271 



taste common to some of the coarser and larger varieties 

 of Cabbages. 



None of the family are hardier or more easily cultivated 

 than the Savoys ; and though they will not quite survive the 

 winter in the open ground, so far are they from being in- 

 jured by cold and frosty weather, that a certain degree of 

 frost is considered necessary for the complete perfection of 

 their texture and flavor. 



Soil. They succeed best in strong, mellow loam, liber- 

 ally enriched with well-digested compost. 



Sowing. The first sowing may be made early in a hot- 

 bed, and the plants set in the open ground in May, or as 

 soon as the weather will admit. Subsequent sowings may 

 be made in drills, in the open ground, in May, or early in 

 June. When the seedlings are five or six inches high, thin 

 or transplant to about three feet apart. 



Harvesting. During the autumn, take the heads directly 

 from the garden, whenever they are required for the table ; 

 but they should all be taken in before the ground is deeply 

 frozen, or covered with snow. No other treatment will be 

 required during the winter than such as is usually given to 

 the Common Cabbage. 



To raise Seed. In April, select a few well-formed, good- 

 sized heads, as near types of the variety as possible, and 

 set them entire, about two feet apart. If small shoots start 

 from the side of the stalk, they should be removed, as only 

 the sprout that comes from the centre of the head pro- 

 duces seed that is really valuable. All varieties rapidly 

 deteriorate if grown from seeds produced by side-shoots, 

 or suckers. 



The seeds, when ripe, in form, size, and color, are not 

 distinguishable from those of the Common Cabbage. An 

 ounce contains ten thousand seeds, which will generally pro- 

 duce about three thousand plants. 



