146 



TRUCK-FARMING AT THE SOUTH. 



grown on a soil rich in the former, but poor in the latter, 

 will contain much more soda than potash, and vice versa. 

 The large preponderance of soda in the following analysis 

 of the cow pea is attributable to the fact, that it grew 

 upon soil near Chapel Hill, N. C., which, in dry weather, 

 sometimes coated white with carbonate of soda. 



is 



TABLE SHOWING THE COMPARATIVE FERTILIZING VALUE OF COW PEA 

 VINES AND RED CLOVER. 



Doubtless fine cabbages maybe raised directly from the 

 seed sown in place, instead of raising the plants in a 

 seed-bed and then transplanting them. Experience and 

 theory have long since shown the expediency of trans- 

 ferring the plants from the seed-bed to the open ground. 

 By the former practice, nothing is gained and something 

 is lost. Apart from the advantages of transplanting 

 (see chapter on that subject), we have, on a very small 

 area, say one hundred and fifty square feet, a sufficient 

 number of plants to set an acre. With at least one work- 

 ing in the first six weeks, of the land to which the plants 

 are transferred, we avoid the possible damage to the soil, 

 during six weeks of fall weather, by heavy packing rains, 

 and we place the manure fresh and concentrated around 

 the newly-formed roots, when the plant has sufficiently 

 advanced in growth to make use of it. 



TRANSPLANTING. 



Cabbages in our southern climates are marketable, 

 though not full-grown, in about five months from the 

 seed, the time depending upon the degree of moisture and 



