MASS. BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 737 



milch cows can be obtained from the superabundant leaves of 

 the beet, at a season of the year when the often prevailing 

 droughts render such a supply most desirable. Such I remem- 

 ber to have been the opinion of Mr. Pickering, whose judg- 

 ment it is hardly safe to question, when based on his own 

 observations. That such a supply can be gathered, when the 

 growth of the plants is luxuriant, there can be no question ; 

 but that the leaves can be plucked, without detriment to the 

 vegetable, is by no means certain. Nature seldom makes a 

 mistake in her design, or arrays a plant with more leaves than 

 are necessary to perfect its growth. Instance, in the opinion 

 of many, the cutting off the stalks of Indian corn, materially 

 impairs the substance of the crop. Better let it all remain, 

 say they, until the harvest. 



In regard to the growing of all vegetables, those cultivators 

 succeed best, who give most attention to the pulverisiation of 

 the soil, and the subdivision of the manures, and the careful 

 intermingling of the manure with the soil. I have often wit- 

 nessed the cultivation, by the gardeners of Marblehead, of 

 Beverly, and of Danvers, who grow crops equal to any others, 

 and think their superior crops are mainly to be attributed to 

 the operations above specified. " Seeds of all kinds should be 

 sown as soon as possible after the ground is prepared to re- 

 ceive them, and before the moisture of the fresh-stirred earth 

 is dissipated by the sun and winds ; otherwise, many will 

 never vegetate, or not until after a fall of rain ; and the conse- 

 quence will be, loss of time and an uneven crop." (See Ad- 

 dress of Mr. Pickering, before referred to.) 



CABBAGES. 



There is no vegetable from which so bountiful a return may 

 be expected as the cabbage. I have so often told the story of 

 18,000 head raised by Mr. Mason, of Beverly, on two and a 

 half acres, and seen such an expression of incredulity awakened 

 thereby, that I hesitated about mentioning it again, until I 

 heard Prof. Mapes state that he had raised on his own farm 

 the last season, 73,000 head of cabbages on six acres, being 

 more than 12,000 to the acre. The only difference between 

 Mason's and Mapes' cabbages, as the story was told, was, one 

 sold them for 6^- cents, and the other for 3|- cents, a head. I 

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