372 THE CABBAGE CROP. 



When the breadth of land to be planted with cabbages 

 has been decided upon, the seed-bed should be carefully 

 prepared in some convenient place where the soil is good, 

 and more shelter can be obtained for the young plants than 

 the open field generally offers. A deep soil is here of less 

 importance than at the later periods of their growth ; it 

 should, however, be in the finest possible tilth, and liber- 

 ally supplied with well-rotted farmyard manure. Two 

 square rods of seed-bed are sufficient for each acre to be 

 cropped, and 4 oz. of seed will be found sufficient to stock 

 this surface with good plants, of which about 8000 to 10,000 

 are generally required to the acre, when planted at the 

 ordinary distances. The seed may be sown broadcast, and 

 carefully covered in with the rake, after which a light 

 roller passed over the surface will finish the operation. 

 After the young plants have made a little growth, it is 

 generally good policy to thin the beds of sickly or super- 

 fluous plants, so as to induce a more vigorous and branching 

 growth in those that are left. It is also desirable to have 

 a succession of young plants coming on, to meet the re- 

 quirements on the farm for plants as the ground is cleared 

 after the earlier crops. These must be sown at intervals, 

 according to the periods at which they will be required for 

 transplanting, recollecting that young plants may always 

 be moved more safely than those more advanced in growth, 

 especially in the later periods of the season, when the 

 necessary moisture is deficient both in the soil and the 

 air, and the heat of the sun conducive rather to the ma- 

 turity than the growth of vegetables generally. 



Before the young plants are removed from the seed-bed to 

 the field, it is most important that due preparations should 

 have been made for their reception, as upon the necessary 

 conditions being secured to them hinges their future de- 

 velopment, and consequent beneficial return to the far- 

 mer. If these conditions are present, the crop usually is 



