CHAPTER XVI 

 LATE CABBAGE AND SIMILAR CROPS 



LATE CABBAGE 



Late cabbage is of three general types: Common or white 

 cabbage, savoy cabbage and red cabbage. The first named is 

 by far the most important. It is handled by the carload and is a 

 staple product on the markets from late fall till early spring. 

 Savoy cabbage differs from the ordinary cabbage in that the leaves 

 are darker green, and very much more wrinkled and curled (Fig. 

 75). Sometimes it is referred to on the market as " curly cabbage." 

 It is more delicate in flavor than common cabbage, but as yet is 

 very little grown. Red cabbage is used chiefly for pickling and 

 its demand for that purpose is quite limited. The culture of all 

 three types of late cabbage is essentially the same. 



Climatic Requirements. — Late cabbage makes its principal 

 growth during the cool weather of autumn, but since its period 

 of growth is much longer than the normal period of cool autumn 

 weather in warm climates, it is not reliable as a commercial crop 

 except in locations so far north that the summers as well as the 

 autumns are comparatively cool. Under favorable conditions it 

 produces enormous crops, but as its culture is extended southward 

 smaller heads are produced and the crop becomes more uncertain. 

 In the corn belt it is much less reliable than early cabbage because 

 the plants have to make much of their growth during hot weather, 

 and do not outgrow their stunted condition when favorable 

 weather finally arrives. It is only in seasons that are abnormally 

 cool and wet, or on rich bottom lands, that late cabbage makes 

 good crops in central latitudes. However, market gardeners 

 usually plant small areas, and sometimes have a crop to sell. 

 Farther north, immense areas are planted and large yields regularly 

 harvested. 



Growing the Plants. — The seed for late cabbage should be 

 sown in a carefully prepared seed-bed in the open ground four or 

 five weeks before time for setting the plants in the field. Since 

 the days are longer than when early cabbage plants are grown, 

 the plants reach transplanting size in a shorter time. Transplant- 

 ing may take place from June 15 to July 15. When large areas 

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