CABBAGE, Brdssica oleracea, Linn., is a crucifer- 

 ous plant which grows wild on the sea-cliffs of western 

 and southern Europe. Figs. 293 and 294, from nature, 



293. Wild Cabbage on the cliffs of the English Channel. 



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 Chou, and the Germans treat them under Kohl. 

 These various tribes may be classified as follows (cf. 

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

 1.213): 



Var. ac6phala, DC. The various headless Cabbages. 

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

 the tall or tree Kales, Curled or Scotch Kales, and Col- 

 lards. The Georgia Collards, grown in the south and 

 shipped to northern markets, is shown in Fig. 295. Its 

 likeness may be found wild on the cliffs of the south- 

 eastern coast of England to-day. A Curled Kale is 

 shown in Fig. 296. The thick, tender leaves of the Kales 

 are used as "greens." See Collards and Kale. 



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. capitata, 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 might follow this order: 



A. Lvs. plain (not blistered). 



B. Head oblong or conical (Fig. 299). 

 C. Green. 

 CO. Red. 

 BB. Head oblate or flattened (Fig. 299) , including c and 



cc, as above. 



AA. Lvs. blistered or puckered. The Savoy Cabbages, Fig. 

 300 (B. oleracea, var. bullata, DC.), to be further di- 

 vided, as in A. 



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 and 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, dose it with all sorts of substances, mutilate its 

 leaves or roots as we choose, plant it in heavy clay, 

 black muck or pure sand, and it will do fairly well in 

 spite of all conditions if we but supply an abundance of 

 easily secured food and the right quantity of water to 

 enable the pfent to take it in and make it available. 

 Next to plenty of food, its great requisite is a proper 

 supply of water, and, though its native home seems to 

 be near the ocean, it is by no means an aquatic, and suf- 

 fers as much 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, moist atmosphere, and while young plants do 

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

 light 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 during the summer months. They are 

 quite hardy, and will endure a too low temperature bet- 

 ter than one which is too high, their hardiness in this re- 

 spect depending largely upon the condition of the plant. 

 The leaves of one rapidly grown in a greenhouse will be 

 killed by 2 or 3 of frost, while it will take 20 to 25, 

 continued for some time, to 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 



294. Wild Cabbage plant in seed. 



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 



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