162 CALIFORNIA VEGETABLES 



the seed a chance to germinate at once. As with lettuce, if the seed is too 

 thickly sown it is thinned out so that the plants will grow stocky. As soon 

 as the plants are large enough they are transplanted into the open field, which 

 has been prepared as for the seed rows, except that the rows are always wide 

 enough for horse cultivation and only one row is set on the edge of the furrow. 



In the interior, where temperature extremes are liable to be 

 greater, a cold frame, or covered seed-bed, may be used to protect 

 the young plants against hot, dry winds. In small garden practice 

 the use of a seed-box is often handier. Plants should be given 

 space enough to grow thriftily and should be transplanted to the 

 field when conditions are right for planting out in the locality. 



Plants started in August and September may be planted in the 

 field as soon as they are strong enough, when an early winter crop 

 is expected, for they will be headed up well from January to March. 

 Where this is not favored by the local climate, it is still advisable to 

 have early grown plants, and in garden practice they can be several 

 times transplanted and thus kept small and stocky for planting out 

 when the soil and weather are right for it. Where the early winter 

 is apt to have quite severe frosts, plants started in the fall in the 

 open air can be transplanted to cold frames until this danger is past. 



For late winter and spring planting, plants may be started later, 

 say in January, but then in some places the hot-bed, or other form 

 of gentle bottom heat described in the chapter on propagation, is 

 desirable. Care must, however, always be taken not to use too high 

 heat with cabbage plants, and for usual California conditions a seed- 

 bed, with the soil made light enough for good drainage, and with 

 protection from cold winds as afforded by a fence or building, is 

 usually coddling enough for cabbages. If, however, the plants are 

 grown with heat they should be first transplanted to a cold frame, 

 or a protected bed, for hardening before they are taken to open 

 ground. 



Preparation of Cabbage Ground. Aside from generous ma- 

 nuring; for it is hard to make ground too rich for the cabbage, a 

 good, deep working of the soil will show itself in the crop. For 

 fall planting it is not desirable to give the surface as fine a polish 

 as is necessary for seed sowing, because it will be all the more liable 

 to puddle and crust with the rains. If the plant is well firmed in 

 fine soil, it will take hold well and the interspaces will be more 

 receptive if left a little open. Subsequent cultivation will fine it 

 sufficiently. 



In special fertilizing for cabbage in addition to free use of 

 farm manure, worn soils can be enriched with 400 to 500 Ibs. of 

 superphosphate and 200 Ibs. of kainit, harrowed in before planting, 

 and from 200 to 400 Ibs. nitrate of soda is given divided into two 

 to three applications, according to quantity allowed. If as much as 

 4 cwt. of nitrate of soda is given to the acre, the first portion may 

 be applied when it is noticed the plants are beginnning to catch on, 

 the next a month after, and the last dressing three weeks later. This 

 usually produces a marked effect on the crops. 



