CABBAGES, HOW TO GROW THEM, ETC. 37 



so near as to press somewhat together the two outer 

 circles of leaves. They were allowed to remain in this 

 condition until it was cold enough to freeze the ground 

 an inch in thickness, when a covering of coarse hay was 

 thrown over them a couple of inches thick, and, as the 

 cold increased in intensity, this covering was increased 

 to ten or twelve inches in thickness, the additions being- 

 made at two or three intervals. In the Spring I uncov- 

 ered the lot, and found that nearly every plant had 

 headed up. I sold the heads for four cents a pound, and 

 these refuse cabbages averaged me about ten cents a 

 head, which was the price my best heads brought me in 

 the Fall. I have seen thousands of cabbages in 0'ie lot, 

 the refuse of several acres that had been planted on sod 

 land broken up the same season a crop of hay had been 

 taken from it, made to head by this course, and sold in 

 the Spring for $1.80 per barrel. When there is a large 

 lot of such cabbages the most economical way to plant 

 them will be in furrows made by the plough. Most of 

 the bedding used in covering them, if it be as coarse as 

 it ought to be to admit as much air as possible while it 

 should not mat down on the cabbages, will, with care in 

 drying, be again available for covering another season, 

 or remain suitable for bedding purposes. These " Win- 

 ter headed" cabbages, as they are called in the market, 

 are not so solid and have more shrinkage to them than 

 those headed in the open ground ; hence they will not 

 bear transportation as well, neither will they keep as 

 long when exposed to the air. The effect of wintering 

 cabbage by burying in the soil is to make them exceed- 

 ingly tender for table use. 



