CHAP. iv. THE CABBAGE FAMILY. 971 



cabbages will have seized that which, under other conditions, would have 

 been the manure available for the spring-sown crop. But the exhaustion 

 is of a very temporary nature, and there is no reason to suppose that 

 the land really suffers more after cabbage than after turnips. Indeed, 

 having farmed land where both turnips and cabbages have been freely 

 grown for many years, we are quite prepared to state that there is 

 actually no reason for such a conclusion. But, as the cabbage-crop, 

 when left over in this manner, does retard the growth of the succeeding 

 crop, any sprouts should be fed off before the middle of March. If 

 this is done, and the crop is not taken off the land, there will be little 

 sign of exhaustion from cabbage-growing. 



The extra cost of growing cabbages beyond that of growing turnips 

 has often been urged as an objection, but this too appears to be a 

 matter of misapprehension, for though the cost of dibbling rather 

 exceeds that of setting out once over, and the cost of the plants is 

 greater than that of the seed, the subsequent cost of hoeings, and 

 getting-up or feeding-off of the crop, is lighter. The great advantage 

 of cabbages as compared with turnips is, that they afford a better 

 opportunity of cleaning the land previously to cropping it, an additional 

 month of summer weather being available for that purpose. While 

 urging the supremacy of the cabbage crop, we do not wish it to be 

 understood that we are advocating the growth of all cabbages and 

 no turnips, for we believe that the best results are obtained when 

 a fair division is made the proportion of cabbages being greatest 

 when the soil is inclined to be heavy, and of turnips when the soil 

 is light. All cabbages, including Kohl-rabi, are better for being 

 transplanted, and in this they differ from the turnip ; they have hard 

 woody roots, while turnips are soft and succulent and readily wither. 

 If cabbages are transplanted they form bunches of small fibrous roots 

 near the surface, and they are thus able to take up the plant food, 

 which, as a rule, lies nearest to the top of the soil. When the main 

 root is not broken there is a greater formation of root lower down and 

 less at the top, and the plant does not grow so fast. 



As cabbages are better for being transplanted, the following remarks 

 on the formation of the plant seed-bed may be useful. Seed-beds are 

 sown at two seasons spring and autumn. The plants from the spring 

 sown beds are required for transplanting throughout summer, and are 

 sown in March or April. The autumn-sown beds should be seeded 

 quite at the beginning of autumn ; in fact there is no better time than 

 during the second week of August. If they are sown sooner they are 

 liable to form hearts, and if sown later they may not grow big enough 

 by the time they are required. In choosing a piece of land for the 

 purpose, that which is liable to turnip-sickness, or is of a weedy nature, 

 should be avoided. It is best to select a light soil, as the plants can 

 then be pulled with less injury than from heavy soil, which has a 

 tendency to settle down firmly as time progresses. The bed should 

 be sheltered from cold winds, and it is advisable to locate it if 

 possible in some place where people are constantly passing by, such as 

 a headland near a cart-road, a footpath, or a railway, so that birds, such 



