AMERICAN HOME GARDEN. 129 



posed to proceed from the wound of certain weevils depositing 

 their eggs, as the gall is formed upon the oak, but I suppose 

 the insect seeks only unhealthy or checked plants, diseased, 

 morbid juices being probably agreeable to it. I have found it 

 in the portion of a patch reached by the roots of neighboring 

 trees ; and in a seed-row sown down a slope, the plants on the 

 lower or wet part were almost all clubbed, and the others free. 

 For insects infesting the cabbage, see pages 99 and 104. 



It is often found difficult in northern latitudes to preserve 

 cabbages through the winter without loss by rotting, or, if this 

 be avoided by hanging them up singly, they are apt to become 

 tough and almost tasteless from drying or self-exhaustion. 



The best known mode of wintering them is to pull them up 

 by the roots immediately on the appearance of hard frosts, and, 

 having made a deep clean furrow upon a gentle slope, begin at 

 the upper end of it, and place the cabbages, with the heads 

 downward, not quite perpendicularly, but sloping, so as effect- 

 ually to discharge or shed water from the heads. Having 

 thus arranged your heads, with the roots uppermost, through- 

 out the length of your furrow, proceed either with the plow or 

 spade to cover them with earth, forming a ridge over them a 

 few inches thick ; still farther to secure them against water, 

 make the crown of the ridge as solid as possible by beating or 

 treading along it, and finish it up sharply. Whatever may be 

 needed for winter use can be broken out, beginning at the low- 

 er end, while those which remain will come out in the spring, 

 even as late as May, as fresh and almost as sound as when 

 put in. 



The red cabbage and the Savoy, being hardier, do not require 

 this covering, but may be " heeled in" at the approach of win- 

 ter by setting the roots in an opened furrow or trench, and 

 placing the heads close together, but above the ground, and 

 carefully settling the earth around the necks ; cover them 

 lightly with straw or evergreen brush, and cut them out as re- 

 quired for use. 



Merely for winter cooking, the other varieties may be kept 

 in the same manner ; but if you desire them for spring use the 

 former mode is preferable. The " sauer-kraut," of which Ger- 



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