CABBAGE. 151 



During a glut in the markets, Norfolk cabbages may 

 not pay the freight. The maximum price is three dol- 

 lars and a quarter per barrel. 



It is probably owing to the fact that larger varieties 

 are grown near Charleston and Savannah, that the early 

 arrivals from Norfolk do not seriously affect the prices of 

 shipments made at the same time from more southern 

 and distant points. 



The cabbage crop is marketed early enough to be fol- 

 lowed by a planting of corn, to be succeeded in turn by 

 fall turnips; or the land may be used for a second crop of 

 Irish potatoes, in which the manure would be available. 

 Such is the management of the spring cabbage crop for 

 the Northern markets. The period during which the 

 truck-farmer markets his crops for shipment, is confined 

 to the five months from March to July inclusive. Ow- 

 ing to the great number of small patches of all kinds of 

 common vegetables, owned by negroes and whites near 

 the city, the supply is so well up to the demand, that the 

 majority of truck-farmers have found it unprofitable to 

 attend the regular local market. If confined exclusively 

 to the Northern, and the local sales of vegetables, the 

 growers would have no income during seven months of the 

 year; hence on the lines of the railroads truck-farming is 

 generally an adjunct to cotton planting, and in Florida to 

 that and to orange growing. Cabbage is one of the few 

 vegetables that may be made available for the markets 

 of the interior, where there arises a demand during the 

 later winter months. The variety best adapted to this 

 season is the more hardy American "Flat Dutch." 

 Seed for this crop may be sown from June to September; 

 but the earlier the better, as cabbage to head in time 

 for the winter crop should "bud," or commence to 

 head, before cold weather. Owing to hot suns and 

 heavy rains, and destructive insects, it is difficult to 

 raise the plants. The soil for the seed-bed may be 



