556 THE KITCHEN GARDEN. [Nov. 



therefrom. But having given general instructions for the methods 

 of treating cabbage plants in page 513, and cauliflower plants in 

 page 515, I now refer you thereto for further information. 



Observe that the cauliflower being much more tender than the 

 cabbage plants, will require more care and covering to protect 

 them from frost; and that either will be greatly injured by being 

 deprived of light or air longer than their safety or preservation 

 require. 



Preserving Cabbages and Borecole for Winter and Spring use. 



Immediately previous to the setting in of hard frost take up your 

 cabbages and savoys, observing to do it in a dry day; turn their 

 tops downward, and let them remain so for a few hours to drain ott' 

 any water that may be lodged between the leaves; then make 

 choice of a ridge of dry earth, in a well sheltered, warm exposure, 

 and plant them down to their heads therein, close to one another, 

 having previously taken oft' some of their loose hanging leaves. 

 Immediately erect over them a low temporary shed, of any kind 

 that will keep them perfectly free from wet, which is to be open at 

 both ends to admit a current of air in mild dry weather. These 

 ends are to be closed with straw when the weather is very severe. 

 In this situation your cabbages will keep in a high state of preser- 

 vation till spring; for being kept perfectly free from wet as well as 

 from the action of the sun, the frost will have little or no ett'ect 

 upon them. In such a place the heads may be cut oft* as wanted, 

 and, if frozen, soak them in spring, well, or pump water for a few 

 hours previous to their being cooked, which will dissolve the frost 

 and extract any disagreeable taste occasioned thereby. 



Some plant their cabbages, after being taken up and drained as 

 above, in airy or well ventilated cellars, inearth or sand up to their 

 heads, where they will keep tolerably well; but in close, warm, or 

 damp cellars they soon decav. 



Others make a trench in dry sandy ground, and place the cab- 

 bages therein, after being well drained and dry, and most of their 

 outside loose green leaves pulled oft', roots upward, the heads con- 

 tiguous to, but not touching each other; they then cover them with 

 the dryest earth or sand that can be conveniently procured, and 

 form a ridge of earth over them like the roof of a house; some apply 

 dry straw immediately around the heads, but this is a bad practice, 

 as the straw will soon become damp and mouldy, and will of course 

 communicate the disorder to the cabbages. 



Upon the whole, the first method is, in my opinion, the most 

 preferable, as there is no way in which cabbages will keep better if 

 preserved from wet; and, besides, they can be conveniently ob- 

 tained whenever they are wanted for use. 



The green and brown curled borecole being very hardy, will 

 require but little protection; they may now be taken up and planted 

 in a ridge tolerably close together, and during severe frost covered 

 lightly with straw; this will preserve them sufficiently, and during 

 winter the heads may be cut oft" as they are wanted for use; the 



