CABBAGE. 31 



bed to rows 4 feet apart, 18 inches in the row for extra 

 early varieties, 3 feet for later kinds. In that climate 

 plants are not removed in the fall for winter storage, 

 but are simply covered with earth where they stand in 

 the field, a plow being used for the purpose. 



Stock-seeds. When the purpose is to raise well- 

 formed heads for stock-seed, seed is sown at the usual 

 time in spring for table use, or much earlier than for 

 the main crop of half-formed heads. Prior to being 

 stored for winter, these heads undergo critical selection. 

 Only those are selected and preserved, which, besides 

 being true to variety, are also uniform as to shape, hav- 

 ing a short stem, thick, smooth and handsome outside 

 leaves but not too leafy, and with the body of the plant 

 in general looking vigorous and healthy. Enough 

 should be taken to secure sufficient stock-seed to last for 

 several years' seeding. In fact, it is known by all exper- 

 ienced gardeners that cabbage seed three years' old pro- 

 duces better-formed heads than does perfectly fresh seed. 



In the case of solid heads, the seed shoots may be as- 

 sisted to come through by carefully separating the outer 

 leaves; some make two cross cuts carefully with a knife to 

 open the head, so as to let the seed stalk break through. 



When dependence has to be placed on stock-seed 

 obtained from a seed-dealer, or other outside source, 

 the safer plan is to sow a small quantity of same in 

 advance of sowing of the main crop, which will enable 

 the grower to judge of the purity of seed from solid 

 heads so produced. 



Wintering Plants in Trenches. In the northern 

 Atlantic cabbage-growing sections, the winters are too 

 severe to allow cabbage plants to remain safely in the 

 open over winter. The general practice in these local- 

 ities is to dig up the plants entire on the approach of 



