CULTIVATION OF PLANTS. 



VII. THE CABBAGE. 





THE cultivation of this plant as a garden vegetable, is of the 

 greatest antiquity. The varieties, though numerous, are all 

 derived from the same stock. Its native country is unknown. 

 It is cultivated only for its leaves, which are highly nutritious, 

 and very palatable to both men and cattle especially cows. 

 The large field cabbage (drum-head) are considered best for 

 farm culture. 



Its cultivation as a field crop for the use of cattle, cannot be 

 strongly recommended; as it is inferior for that purpose to the 

 sugar-beet, ruta-baga, and some other more certain crops. Ne- 

 vertheless every farmer will find it to his advantage to raise a 

 proper portion of cabbage as a change of food for his farm stock. 

 It will have a good effect on the cattle. When fed to milch 

 cows the decayed leaves should be removed with great care, as 

 they impart an unpleasant flavour to the milk. The field cul- 

 ture of the cabbage in the neighbourhood of cities and large 

 towns, may be prosecuted to great advantage. 



Any soil that is rich will suit the cabbage, but a strong loam 

 is preferred. The preparation of the land is similar to that for 

 potatoes and turnips. The seed may be either sown in drills 

 the shoots being afterwards singled out to the requisite dis- 

 tance, and the roots allowed to stand for a crop or they may 

 be sown in a garden or nursery, and afterwards transplanted. 

 This is the plan usually adopted. The season for solving de- 

 pends upon the time when it is intended to make use of the 

 crop. They will thrive if planted any time from March to 

 June. 



The intervals between the rows are tilled by the hand-hoe 

 and cultivator, as described in the case of the turnip. The last 

 tillage should be that of earthing up the soil thoroughly to the 

 roots of the plants. The drills should be thirty to thirty-six 

 inches from centre to centre, and the distance between each 

 plant in the rows should be two and a half feet. But -these 

 distances are for the very largest kinds. Cabbages do not en- 

 dure storing like turnips. They are liable to fewer diseases 

 than almost any other plant cultivated. 



There are many excellent varieties easily grown, very deli- 

 cate, sell readily, and may without difficulty be preserved 

 during winter. The Savoy cabbage, which is in good repute, 

 requires a distance of two feet in the drill the distance be- 

 tween the drills, from centre to centre, being the same. An 

 acre of land,, contains four thousand three hundred and ten 



