Culture of White and Red Cabbages, 4e- 359 



in May: other seed should be sown at Candlemas (Feb. 2.), 

 under some slight protection, or in some warm and well-sheltered 

 nook, for a summer and autumn supply ; and other seed should 

 be sown at midsummer, to come in as coleworts, for winter and 

 spring. 



The ordinary way is to sow broad-cast, and plant out with 

 the dibber ; sowing in drills, 9 in. apart, is preferable, as the 

 plants can be hoed about, and earthed up, which will forward 

 those sowed in spring, and protect the autumn ones from winter 

 injury. In planting, I should chop out a trench, by line, as the 

 digging proceeds; and, after introducing the dung, place the 

 plants, previously watered and dug up (not pulled up), in it, 

 deep enough to have their leaves just above ground. If the soil 

 is too dry, it will be better to water the dung in the trench about 

 the roots of the plants before covering it in ; as the same quan- 

 tity of water will then have three times the effect that a surface 

 watering would after the rows are finished. The plants may 

 stand 18 in. apart from row to row, and 9 in. apart in the row. 

 If large cabbages are wanted (which is very seldom the case), 

 every alternate plant may be used for coleworts ; the rest will 

 then stand to form heads at 18 in. apart every way. The or- 

 dinary routine culture of cabbages need not be enlarged on, as 

 every gardener knows that they require earthing up as they 

 advance, and frequent hoeings, &c. 



Hed Cabbages. — The red Dutch and dwarf red are the 

 best varieties ; but it is often difficult to get the sorts pure. As 

 the plants, however, are easily distinguished when young, there 

 is no excuse for planting bastard varieties. Sow about the 12th 

 or 20th of August, in fresh poor soil, as directed for white 

 cabbages. In March, or early in April, plant out, in richly 

 manured land, in rows 2 ft. by 18 in. For the manner of plant- 

 ing, see White Cabbages. 



Savoys. — The large yellow, the dwarf yellow, and the 

 green savoy are all useful ; yet the dwarf yellow alene may 

 successfully meet every reasonable demand for this article. Sow 

 in February, in drills, as directed for white cabbages; and, as 

 the, plants advance (say when 4 in. high), let them be trans- 

 planted to the same distances, &c., as directed for red cabbages. 



Brussels Sproids. — Brussels sprouts may be transplanted into 

 rows 2 ft. by one : in every other respect they are treated like 

 savoys, and, therefore, need not be enlarged upon in this place. 

 Mr. Morgan [Hort. Trans., vol. ii.), quoted in the Encyc, of 

 Gardeniyig, says that the Brussels sprouts are not sufficiently 

 hardy to last through the winter in England; but I never saw 

 them killed by frost, either on this side of the Tweed or on the 

 other. 



Isleworth, Ash-JVednesdaj/, 1837. 



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