CABBAGE, Brdnsica oUrAcea, Linn., is a crucifer- 

 ous [jlaiit which grows wild on the sea-cliffs of western 

 and southern Europe. Fij-'s. 293 and 294, from nature, 



.-X--, 





293 Wild Cabbat; 



show the common form as it grows on the chalk cliffs of 

 the English Channel. It is a perennial plant, or per- 

 haps sometimes a biennial, with a very tough and woody 

 root, a diffuse habit, and large, thick, deep-lobed leaves 

 in various shades of green and reddish, and more or 

 less glaucous. The leaves of this plant were probably 

 eaten by the barbarous or half -civilized tribes ; and when 

 history begins, the plant had been transferred to culti- 

 vated grounds and had begun to produce dense rosettes 

 or heads of leaves. It appears to have been in general 

 use before the Aryan migrations to the westward. There 

 were several distinct types or races of the Cabbage in 

 cultivation in Pliny's time. 



From the one original stock have sprung all the forms 

 of Cabbages, Cauliflowers, Brussels Sprouts and Kales. 

 For this family or group of plants the English language 

 has no generic name. The French include them all under 

 the term Choii, and the Germans treat them under A'o7iZ. 

 These various tribes may be classified as follows (cf. 

 De CandoUe, Trans. Hort. Soc. London, 5, 1-43 ; Prodr. 

 1.213): 



Var. acSphala, DC. The various headless Cabbages. 

 It comprises the Kales, in many types and varieties, as 

 the tall or tree Kalc^s. Curlfd or R.-..trh Kales, and Col- 

 lards. The ('„'.„■'■■,:, (■.A]:,i,\~. rr.,v, I, in i1m' :-...i.i1i and 

 shipped to nciili. . ,: i.: , i •,. i n r jm,-,. its 

 likeness may li'- i '■■! ;- n. • ^.nith- 



Var. gemmifera, Hort. The bud-bearing Cabbage, or 

 Brussels Sprouts (see Fig. 273) . In this group, the main 

 stem or axis is tall and erect, and the axillary buds are 

 developed into little heads. 



Var. oapitita, DC. The head-bearing, or true Cab- 

 bages. In this tribe, the main axis is short and thick, 

 and the leaves are densely packed into a gigantic bud or 

 head (Figs. 297, 298). The varieties of Cabbage are 

 very numerous and various. A serviceable classification 

 of them uiigbt follow this order : 



teued (Fig. 299), including c and 



Var. botrytis, DC. Cauliflower and Broccoli, in which 

 the head is formed of the condensed and thickened 

 flower-cluster. See Cauliflower. 



The Chinese Cabbage is a wholly different species 

 from the common Cabbages (see Brassica). It does not 

 form a compact and rounded head, but a more or less 

 open and soft mass of leaves, after the manner of Cos 

 Lettuce. It is of easy culture, but must be grown in the 

 cool season, for it runs quickly to seed in hot aiul dry 

 weather. l. h. B. 



Culture of Cabbage. -The Cabbage is a gross feeder. 



It endures much abuse. We may cover its leaves with 



dust, do.se it witli all s..rts of substances, mutilate its 



leaves or r.i,.tN as «.■ .liuose, plant it in heavy clay, 



black murk '■<■ imi.- -ami. and it will do fairly well in 



spite of all •■..thIiiIoh- if we but supply an abundance of 



■ur. .1 r.„.,l an.l the right quantity of water to 



u- I'l'.mt to taki- it in and make it available. 



.liiji> Ml' f,„„|, its great requisite is a proper 



u- ..iiaii, it is by no means an aquatic, and suf- 

 fers as nniidi from an over-supply of water as from any 

 untoward condition. Cabbages cannot endure hot sun- 

 shine and dry air, and do best at all stages of growth in 

 a cool, niciist atmosphere, and while young plants do 

 fairly well in a higher one, provided there is plenty of 

 "ght and air, the older ones cannot be made to form per- 

 fect heads in such weather as prevails in most parts of 

 the United States rturing the summer months. They are 

 quite har.lv. a'l.l v.ill i Ti-iiiro a too low temperature bet- 



I thi! 



i.y J 



Tlic 

 killu . 



kill one grown slowly out- 

 of-doors. It is clear that if the plant is to be grown suc- 

 cessfully in our southern states, it must be during the ■ 

 cooler winter and spring months ; and at the north 

 seed-sowing must be so timed as to avoid bringing the 

 plants to a heading condition during hot weather. Cab- 

 bages can be grown without protection at the south 



li^frf. 



wherever a minimum temperature of about 15° above 

 zero is the coldest that may be expected, and at the 

 north well-grown and hardened plants for early crop 

 may be set out as soon as danger of a temperature below 

 about 20° above zero is passed. The earliest maturing 



