THE CABBAGE OR BRASSICA FAMILY 83 



surface needs ridging. When the plants are in, the ground 

 should be made firm and kept so. Surface hoeing is 

 useful as it kills the weeds, helps the birds to pick out 

 grubs, and skims off the caked upper crust of the earth, 

 allowing moisture to penetrate to the roots. Artificial 

 nourishment must be given occasionally if the best 

 results are to be obtained. 

 The Board of Agriculture advises : 



(1) Sulphate of ammonia applied at the rate of half 

 an ounce per square yard as soon as growth starts. 



(2) Superphosphate, when the crop refuses to " heart." 

 Use it alone or in conjunction with steamed bone flour, 

 at the rate of one ounce per square yard, at the time of 

 planting. 



(3) In districts where crops on light and medium soils 

 are liable to suffer from drought, salt is very helpful and 

 will usually increase the yields. It should be applied at 

 the rate of one ounce per square yard. 



(4) Well diluted manure water is also useful, and should 

 be applied to the roots, not the leaves, about once a 

 fortnight, when the plants are established. 



The cabbage family, unfortunately, is attacked by 

 many destructive pests. The following must be noted : 



(1) Club -Root (or Anbury, Finger and Toe). This is a 

 fungoidal growth which injures the roots. It is highly 

 infectious, but is not transmitted through the air as is the 

 case with the potato disease. It may lie dormant in the 

 ground for at least two years. The best known preventive 

 measure is to observe the laws of rotation, and to lime the 

 ground before and after a crop of brassicas. Chalk will 

 serve instead of lime but its influence is not so great. 

 Another measure is to attend to the drainage of the ground, 

 for a waterlogged plot may assist the spread of the growth. 



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