CABBAGE. 55 



It is customary with gardeners about New- York to raise 

 their plants in hot-beds. In order to do this, the beds should 

 be prepared, as directed in a future page of this book, (see 

 Index,) so as to be ready to receive the seed by the latter 

 end of February, or ea,rly in March. Plants thus produced, 

 as well as those raised as before directed, will be fit to trans- 

 plant about the middle of April, and should be carefully 

 planted, with a suitable dibble, in good ground, from sixteen 

 inches to two feet apart, according to size and kind : these 

 by being hoed often, will produce good Cabbages in June. 

 If seed of the large early kinds be sown in a warm border, 

 early in April, they will produce plants fit to transplant in 

 May, which will make good Cabbages for summer use.* 



The seed of Red Cabbage may be sown toward the end 

 of April or early in May, and that of Savoys and late Cab- 

 bage in general, may be sown at two or three different times, 

 between the middle and the end of May, in fresh rich ground. 



The most certain way of raising good strong plants in the 

 summer season, is to sow the seed in a moderately shaded 

 border, in shallow drills drawn three or four inches apart. 

 One ounce of seed sown in this manner, will occupy a bor- 

 der of about four feet in width by twelve in length, and pro- 

 duce about four thousand stout plants ; whereas, if seed be 

 sown broad-cast, as is the usual custom, two ounces of seed 



* As numerous species of insects attack plants of the Brassica or Cab- 

 bage tribe, in r very stage of their growth, great caution is necessary in their 

 cultivation. For a prevention to the attacks of fleas or flies, see page 19 

 of the General Remarks. Perhaps the most effectual way of saving plants 

 from grub-worms, is not to transplant any, during the month of June. 

 Seed beds are very seldom attacked ; but if they should be, they may be 

 protected by digging trenches around them, and throwing in lime, salt, or 

 ashes, sufficient to prevent the ingress of the worms. If seed of the vari- 

 ous kinds be sown at the times recommended, the early varieties will be st> 

 far advanced in growth before the grub-worms prevail, as to be out of their 

 reach ; and by the time the late sown plants are ready to transplant, the 

 worms will be harmless, because they turn gray toward the end of June, 

 and by the middle of July, the time recommended for general transplanting, 

 the danger from grub-worms is over. For the destruction of caterpillars, 

 see General Remarks, page 20. 



