16 CABBAGES, HOW TO GROW THEM, ETC. 



For late cabbage, in the latitude of Boston, to have 

 cabbages ready for market about the first of November, 

 the Marblehead Mammoth should be planted the 20th 

 of May, other late drumheads from June 1st to June 

 12th, provided the plants are not to be transplanted ; 

 otherwise a week earlier. In those localities wherfc the 

 growing season is later, the seed should be planted 

 proportionally later. 



CAKE OF THE YOUNG PLANTS. 



In four or five days, if the weather is propitious, the 

 young plants will begin to break ground, presenting at 

 the surface two leaves, which together make nearly a 

 square, like the first leaves of turnips or radishes. 

 As soon as the third leaf is developed, go over the 

 piece, and boldly thin out the plants. Wherever they 

 arc very thick, pull a mass of them with the fingers and 

 thumb, being careful to fill up the hole made with fine 

 earth. After the fourth leaf is developed, go over the 

 piece again and thin still more ; you need specially to 

 guard against a slender, weak growth, which will hap- 

 pen when the plants are too crowded. In thinning, 

 leave the short-stumped plants, and leave them as far 

 apart in the hill as possible, that they may not shade 

 each other, or so interfere in growing as to make long 

 stumps. If there is any market for young plants, thou- 

 sands can be sold from an acre when the seed are 

 planted in the hill ; but in doing this bear in mind that 

 your principal object is to raise cabbages, and to succeed 

 in this the young plants must on no account be allowed 

 to stand so long together in the hills as to crowd each 

 other, making a tall, weak, slender growth, — getting 

 " long legged," as the farmers call it. 



