60 Southern Gardener^ s Practical Manual 



producing a most disgusting odor, while they not only 

 occupy space which should be occupied by more desir- 

 able vegetables, but also serve as a nursery for the 

 propagation of both fungous diseases and insect pests. 



The cabbage succeeds best upon clay loam, rendered 

 friable by thorough and deep preparation and a most 

 liberal use of animal manure. It is a gross feeder, and, 

 while it will endure much neglect and abuse, best results 

 are obtained only under the most favorable conditions 

 as to soil, available plant -food, climatic conditions, cul- 

 tivation and supply of moisture. All plants grown for 

 their leaves or stems must be grown under favorable 

 conditions to be tender and wholesome. If grown 

 rapidly, the cells will be large and the cell -walls thin 

 and tender, and when properly cooked the plants make 

 wholesome food. If grown slowly, because of poor cul- 

 tivation and deficient food and moisture, woody fiber is 

 increased, the plants become tough and form unwhole- 

 some food. There is little danger of manuring too heav- 

 ily, provided the soil is deeply and thoroughly prepared 

 and soil moisture retained by stirring the surface fre- 

 quently amongst the plants. 



A combination of animal manures and commercial 

 fertilizers is best and most economical. When judi- 

 ciously composted and fermented to break down the 

 coarse material, this combination destroys the seeds of 

 grass and weeds which are present in the manure, and 

 properly adjusts the ratio between the three principal 

 elements of plant -food. Since cabbages are grown for 

 the leaves, the fertilizer used should analyze high in 

 potash and nitrogen, and low in phosphoric acid com- 



