LARGE VARIETIES PRODUCE. 381 



their succulent and nutritive properties, they are well 

 adapted. 



In the Channel Islands, and some parts of the Con- 

 tinent, where the soil and climate are especially suited 

 to them, some of the varieties (open-headed) grow to 

 an enormous size. The Giant Cow Cabbage, the Palm 

 Cabbage, and the Jersey Cole attain proportions far 

 beyond anything we are accustomed to see in our fields, 

 some of them growing to the height of 12 to 15 feet, car- 

 rying leaves all up the growing stem, which may be 

 stripped off as the growth progresses, leaving the upper 

 part to furnish the principal crop. Of the compact-headed 

 varieties the Strasburg Cabbage grows to perhaps the 

 largest size; under favourable cultivation it may be seen 

 weighing as much as from 50 to 70 Ibs. ; indeed, this 

 weight is sometimes reached in those grown in Ireland, 

 and exhibited at the winter show in Dublin. The Early 

 York is also a vigorous and productive variety. On the 

 Continent it is the practice to cut up these large cabbages 

 in slices, as we do our roots, and give them, mixed with 

 straw and hay chaff, to all their farm stock, working 

 horses as well as feeding cattle. Their nutritive pro- 

 perties, as is seen by their analyses, are very great; 

 for milking cows they form excellent food, if the pre- 

 caution be taken to remove any decaying leaves from the 

 outside, as they do not occasion the peculiar flavour 

 which turnips give to the milk of cows fed upon them. 



The returns per acre are generally very satisfactory 

 where the conditions necessary for their cultivation have 

 been properly secured to them. From 30 to 50 tons per acre 

 are frequently obtained; while, if full advantage has been 

 taken of the facilities afforded by transplantation, they 

 may be taken as a second or intermediate crop, the field 

 being left not in an exhausted but in an improved con- 

 dition, owing to the liberal application of manure, and 



