THE CULTUKE OF CABBAGES. 321 



in July, when the cabbage plants are ready in the bed for 

 the second crop. The cabbage seed is sown in a bed of rich 

 fine soil in May, and the plants are transplanted when large 

 enough, into another bed, and set 3 inches apart, so as to 

 get large fibrous roots and a stocky growth. As soon as 

 the potatoes are taken up they are sent to market at once 

 and usually bring $1. or more per bushel; the land is then 

 worked over; the Acme harrow being the best implement 

 for this purpose, fitting an acre an hour in the most perfect 

 manner without any plowing, leveling the ridges, and leav- 

 ing an even mellow surface ready for the new crop. The 

 potato vines are gathered with a horse rake and carried 

 from the field to the compost heap which is a most neces- 

 sary adjunct to every well cultivated farm. A marker,, 

 having runners 3 feet apart, is drawn across the harrow 

 marks, making rows in which the plants are set out 2 feet 

 apart in the rows. By taking care to draw the Acme har- 

 row evenly across the field, lapping one-half of the ground 

 at each turn, the distance between the plants in the row 

 can be kept even, after the first row is set out, by observing 

 the course of the cross marks. 



No manure is required for the cabbage crop, as a liberal 

 quantity is plowed in for the potatoes; but a dressing of ar- 

 tificial fertilizer, superphosphate of lime, guano, or fine bone 

 dust, is given; being sown upon the land after the working 

 with the harrow. 500 or 600 pounds per acre is generally 

 used. Frequent working with the horse hoe is required; 

 and if the land is as clean of weeds as it should be, no hand 

 hoeing in the rows is needed. With good cultivation, and 

 on good ground, three-fourths of the cabbages will make 

 good, solid, salable heads; and at times, with the best grown 

 and fresh seed, 90 per cent, of the crop will be solid heads,, 

 and will sell for $5. per hundred wholesale. This ^will 

 amount to over $300. per acre; a very satisfactory result 

 for a second crop, and paying w r ell for the extra care in the 

 culture that is required. The author has taken 150 bushels 

 of Early Rose potatoes from half an acre early in July; 

 realizing $150. for the crop; and in November has sold 



