No. 108.J 29 



the farm, a bed of the red pickling cabbage was presented to our 

 view, from which we selected half a dozen heads, the average weight 

 of which was twelve pounds nine and a quarter ounces, being one- 

 third more than the usual weight of this description of cabbage. 

 These crops reflect great credit on the gardener, Mr. Peter Hultz, who 

 is an adept in the culture of Cabbages, he having been eminently suc- 

 cessful in producing superior crops during the last two or three years. 



On the 23d of September, 1842, your committee visited by invita- 

 tion, the farm of Garret Vreeland, New-Jersey, where we found on 

 about three acres of land, a crop of cabbages in a medium stage of 

 growth, which bid fair to arrive at full perfection by the month of 

 November, which is the ordinary time of gathering them for market. 

 It may be here remarked, that the land in this section of country is 

 of very rich and fertile quality, being literally embedded with the 

 shells of oysters. So congenial is the soil to the growth of cabbaoe 

 that the roots of this plant are seldom attacked by insects, which 

 prove so destructive in less favored situations. Hence, perpetual, vi- 

 gorous and healthy crops are gathered from the same beds, arising 

 from the great quantity of nutritious matter, mingled in the earth by 

 remote causes. The plan generally adopted, is to plant a little over 

 two feet apart, by which means they produce on the average, from 

 eight to nine thousand cabbages per acre. In some parts of Lono-- 

 Island, or in other sections where the land is less fertile than that of 

 Hudson county, it is customary to plant cabbage about three feet 

 apart, and to deposit a shovel full of animal manure in each hill- 

 hence the result is a growth of heavier and larger heads, from the fa- 

 cility of expansion — though ihe greater number grown in the same 

 space by the "Men of Bergen" will perhaps equal, if not exceed in 

 weight the crops of their neighbors on Long-Island. 



After surveying Mr. Vreeland's crop, we took a circuit of three 

 miles around the southern part of Bergen township. In the course 

 of this short ramble, not less than six hundred thousand heads of 

 cabbages, fresh, vigorous and thriving, came within our view. A 

 finer display in the same space could not perhaps be exhibited in any 

 part of the world. We could not depart from the scene without 

 heartily wishing health and prosperity to the independent cultivators 

 of this excellent vegetable, whick has long redounded to the fame 

 of the Krout fraternity of Bergen, and furnished a most important 

 and indispensable dish to the tables of every citizen in our great me- 

 tropolis. 



Subjoined are the names of the cultivators above alluded to. 



^ , -tr 1 1 Acres. Cabbages. 



Lrarret V reeland, about 3 25,000 



George Vreeland,,.. " 9 70,000 



Jacob Vreeland, " 3 25,000 



John Vreeland, over 1 10,000 



Stephen Vreeland, about 8 60,000 



George Vreeland, Jr " 3 ^5 000 



Carried forward, 



