Cabbage Culture 335 



in the afternoon and drove the cultivator out, leaving about 

 three-fourths of an acre undone. In the morning on going to 

 the garden, I found my teamster at work elsewhere, and on ask- 

 ing him why he had not finished cultivating the cabbage, he 

 said he had tried to do it, but found they had grown so much 

 in the night that he thought his work there would do more 

 harm than good, and after myself examining them I fully agreed 

 with him, and they received no further cultivation. Now for 

 the result : when we came to harvest the crop, we found that the 

 portion left uncultivated was not nearly as good as the balance 

 of the piece, although the variety was the same, the land, the 

 manure, and cultivation were the same except the last cultivation. 

 My son and myself estimated that the cash value of that three- 

 fourths of an acre was at least fifty dollars less for lack of that 

 last few hours' work. One was simply a good crop, while the 

 other was a very large one. 



Varieties. Like other garden vegetables, the list of new vari- 

 ties enlarges rapidly. It is well to test some of the more prom- 

 ising novelties, but do it in a small way at first, and if on trial 

 they prove better than those you now have, adopt them. Differ- 

 ent varieties thrive best in different sections of country. The 

 Bergen Drumhead is one of the finest varieties in the region of 

 New York city, but has never done equally well with me, while 

 the Newark Flat Dutch, its near neighbor, is one of the best and 

 most profitable varieties I have ever cultivated. In fact, if I 

 could have but one variety, and was allowed to choose, I believe 

 I should take this in preference to any other that I have ever 

 tried. The Chicago Market is very good and is valuable in the 

 gardens near that city, but with me not equal to others. Try 

 the standard varieties first, experiment carefully, and you will 

 soon find what you can safely rely on for a crop, if you do your 

 work thoroughly and well. 



For first early, the Charleston Wakefield stands at the head of 

 the list. If it is planted out as early as the season will allow with 

 us, and well cared for, we usually expect to begin to market the 

 crop in June. The Newark Flat Dutch and Henderson Early Sum- 

 mer are among the best for second-early, being only about two 

 weeks later than the Wakefield, and as they are larger are chosen 

 in preference to the other. Hence we only set enough of the 



