SECRETARY'S REPORT. 203 



them in large quantities in our common cellars. One way is 

 to hang them up by the roots; another is to trim off the outside 

 leaves and stump, and pack in barrels; still another is to set 

 them out in the cellar as thick as they can be made to stand. 

 We know of a cultivator who preserves a thousand or fifteen 

 hundred heads in this way in excellent condition. 



When the object is to keep them in very large quantities 

 over winter, pits are dug of the size necessary to contain the 

 required number, say a foot or eighteen inches deep. Into 

 these the cabbages are packed as tightly as possible in an 

 upright position, and over the whole enough litter is thrown to 

 protect them from severe frost. A slight degree of frost does 

 not injure them if they are kept at an even temperature. In 

 addition to these methods, they are sometimes pitted by digging 

 a trench in a dry place, wide enough to hold the heads, and 

 about a foot deep. Into these trenches the cabbages are put 

 head downwards, and covered w'ith boards and earth, or litter. 



Perhaps, in an essay of this kind, a short space should be 

 devoted to the Savoys, which, though coming under the head of 

 Brassicaceous plants, are regarded by Burr as a distinct family. 

 The Savoy takes its name from the country where it originated, 

 having been introduced from Savoy, more than a hundred and 

 fifty years ago. It is distinguished from the common cabbage 

 in appearance by its more open head, and by the wrinkled 

 appearance of the leaves, which are also of a lighter green than 

 most other kinds, while " in texture and flavor it is thought to 

 approach some of the broccolis or cauliflowers." It is very 

 hardy, but somewhat slow in growth. As a table vegetable it 

 seems worthy of 'more attention than it has hitherto received. 

 The cabbage, like most other cultivated crops, is subject to the 

 attacks of insects, which are sometimes very troublesome. The 

 first is the fly, or black bug, of which mention has already been 

 made. ' As prevention is better than cure, we give, in addition 

 to what has already been said on this point, two methods of 

 warding off its ravages. " Steep the seed in a pint of warm 

 water two hours, in which is infused an ounce of saltpetre ; 

 dry it, and add curriers' oil enough to wet the whole, after 

 which mix with plaster enough to separate it and fit it for sow- 

 ing." The other is the following : " After preparing the ground 

 in the usual way for the seed bed, cover it up thickly with 



