FARM CROPS. 175 



quires more plant food to grow, and it furnishes less 

 dry matter. The cabbage is adapted to cool moist cli- 

 mates, although it will grow under a variety of climatic 

 conditions. The Northern States and Canada are 

 adapted for its growth. 



Soil and Fertilizer. The cabbage may be raised on 

 all types of soil that are abundantly supplied with 

 available plant food and water. The soil should be 

 plowed deeply and thoroughly harrowed to insure a 

 loose fine seed bed. Farm manure at the rate of 10 

 to 15 tons per acre should be applied before fall plow- 

 ing. In the spring this may be supplemented with an 

 application of 1,000 to 1,500 pounds of quicklime and 

 600 pounds of a fertilizer analyzing 4 to 5 per cent, 

 of nitrogen, 7 to 9 per cent, of available phosphoric 

 acid, and 8 to 9 per cent, of potash, derived from ni- 

 trate of soda, superphosphate and potash salts or 

 wood ashes. 



Seeding. Seed may be sown in the field in 3 feet 

 rows, during early May, and afterwards thinned from 



2 to 2 l / 2 feet when they have reached a height of 



3 to 4 inches. About ^ to ^4 of a pound of seed per 

 acre is sufficient in this method of planting. The com- 

 mercial growers like this method of growing cabbage. 



Resetting. Many of the smaller growers prefer to 

 grow their plants in a greenhouse or hotbed and trans- 

 plant the young plants to the field. If transplanting 

 is favored, the plants should be in the field by the last 

 of May or the first of June. 



Cultivating and Storing. The land should be thor- 

 oughly cultivated, and when the young plants are back- 

 ward an application of 50 to 75 pounds of nitrate 

 of soda per acre will help to produce vigorous growth. 

 If the market price is unsatisfactory, cabbages may be 

 stored by placing them with their stems and roots on, 

 head down, in some protected spot and covered with 

 straw. A storage house is of course preferable. 

 Surehead and Autumn King are varieties that have 

 given good results. 



