BORECOLE OR KALE. 25 



BORECOLE OR KALE. 



This is a member of the cabbage family and method 

 of cultivation is similar to that for cabbage. The differ- 

 ent varieties of borecole readily mix and care must be 

 exercised in growing a seed-crop to keep them far apart 

 from each other. In fact, even cabbage itself or any of 

 its sub-varieties, should not be permitted to flower in 

 the vicinity of a crop of borecole, as mixture may re- 

 sult from pollen being carried from one variety to an- 

 other by bees, flies or the wind. 



Stock -seed, or seed used for growing the main seed- 

 crop, should be perfectly true. While this is impor- 

 tant, the careful grower does not depend altogether on 

 his stock- seed, but examines the growing crop and 

 rogues it carefully before blossoming time, removing all 

 plants which show impurity; also pulling up and de- 

 stroying all which display single leaves, for the best 

 kale should have leaves which are as curled as possible. 



Make sowing of seed late in the summer or about 

 August 20th, according to climate or latitude. The 

 rows should be made three to four feet apart, plants 

 being thinned to two feet apart. As borecole is hardy, 

 the crop is allowed to remain over winter in the field 

 where it is grown. In spring the soil about the plants 

 should be loosened with a hoe or a cultivator, which 

 will be about all the cultivation necessary. 



Harvest when the bulk of the seed-pods have turned 

 yellow, but they should not be allowed to become too 

 dry, or seed may spill out. The cutting should be 

 done on a clear, dry day, early in the forenoon, or when 

 the dew is on; it should be done by hand, using a long, 

 heavy-bladed knife for the purpose. The stalks are 

 gathered in small heaps, the heads laid one way; they 



