208 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



it is small, but it shows the characteristics of the cabbage. It 

 is, probably, the best cabbage that was ever introduced into 

 this country, all things considered. Its origin was this : A 

 paper of seed came from the patent-office, about forty years 

 ago, to John M. Ives of Salem. He gave one paper of seed, 

 among others, to John Mason of Marblehead, who planted the 

 seed. There were, probably, a dozen varieties of cabbage- 

 seed in that paper ; but John Mason was a good farmer and a 

 good judge of vegetables, and he was attracted to that cab- 

 bage, selected it, cultivated it for several years, and improved 

 it by careful selection. Afterwards, John Stone of Marble- 

 head went into the seed business, and he took this cabbage- 

 and improved it, perhaps, somewhat, and put it upon the 

 market. It took the name of the Mason cabbage at first, from 

 John Mason, and when Mr. Stone took it and put it upon the 

 market, he gave it the name of the Stone-Mason. The only 

 trouble with it is, it grows very solid, very hard, and if, at 

 the season of the year when they are hardening up and ready 

 for the market, the market is glutted, and we want to keep 

 them back for a time, in order to get a better price, they will 

 split open and spoil. Let me tell you how to prevent that. 

 Go along and pull them up a little. That will stop their 

 growth, and they will remain in that condition for perhaps 

 two or three Aveeks, whereas they would spoil in three clays, 

 if not pulled in this way. I think that is an important piece 

 of information, worthy of recollection. This has been raised 

 more extensively, perhaps, than any other cabbage ; but, of 

 late years, there has been another cabbage introduced by Mr. 

 Fotler of West Roxbury, who imported the seed about fifteen 

 years ago from Germany. He kept it to himself for several 

 years, but finally put the seed upon the market, at $16 an 

 ounce. It is called the Fotler Early Drumhead Cabbage. As 

 you see, it is a very handsome, showy cabbage. It shows 

 for a little more than it is, while the Stone-Mason does not 

 show for quite as much as it is. It is taking, it is showy, 

 and, surprising as it may seem, it is taking the place, in 

 Marblehead, of the Stone-Mason. And why ? Simply because 

 one shows for more than it is, and the other shows for less 

 than it is. That seems to be the way of the world. But 

 both of these are excellent cabbages. They are very sure to 



