88 VEGETABLE GROWING. 



hand-plow. In our< latitude, September or October, 

 depending upon the variety, is the right time to sow 

 for February, March and April markets of the North. 

 This will bring the crop into market after the North- 

 ern stored crop has been consumed, and before the 

 early spring crop has matured. The drills are made 

 about three- fourths of an inch deep. As soon as the 

 seedlings begin to break through the ground, make a 

 liberal application of tobacco dust ; repeat the dust- 

 ing every three or four days. This will kill or drive 

 away some insects that are quite numerous at this time 

 of the year. 



If the seeds grow well, the plants will become crowded 

 in the drills before they attain their third leaf. Cabbage 

 seedlings may be transplanted at any time in their 

 growth, without loosing any plants, hence, we should 

 transplant them to a new bed as soon as they show 

 signs of crowding. They should be transplanted to 

 the field before the height of six inches is reached. If 

 the plants grow too rapidly, they may be checked by 

 withholding the water or by shifting them to a new bed. 



SOIL. 



Cabbage is a gross feeder, and will succeed on soil 

 where many other crops fail. The soil for ordinary 

 gardening is considered excellent for this vegetable. 

 If the land is not level, a northern slope is preferred, 

 as that is cooler and keeps a more nearly constant 

 temperature, but the northern districts need a south- 

 ern slope. Large cabbage will stand 15 F. without 

 being killed, but that which is recently set out, needs 

 some light protection. Seedlings or plants in the 

 seed-bed can stand about 20 F., but if they are in 

 rapid growth, this temperature makes their leaves 

 look as if they had been scalded. 



