HORTICULTURE. 



247 



Wgf*. 



humble of the cabbage*, but it i* hardy, quick of 

 growth, and pleasant to the taste. The French gar- 

 deners describe a crisp-leafed early kind, which cab- 

 bage* in forty days ; so that, if planted out in the last 

 week of March, it is ready for cutting in the first week 

 of May. 



276. In sowing cabbage-seed, a rich, light, open 

 spot is selected ; a covering of earth from an eighth to 

 a quarter of an inch is sufficient for all the brassica 

 tribe. The time of sowing for the early or summer 

 crop is the beginning of August of the preceding year. 

 In about six or eight weeks, or when the plants have 

 got several leaves, they are thinned, and the plants ta- 

 ken out are pricked into bed* at three inches distance 

 every way ; in thi* way tike transplanted seedlings 

 grow f.rm and shapely, and keep short-stalked, which 

 is a great property, while those left in the seed bed 

 get more room to establish themselves. Some part of 

 this crop i-i finally planted out in October and No- 

 vember, and the rest early in the following spring. 

 The plants are set in rows between two and three feet 

 vide, and at least two feet asunder in the rows. Some 

 gardeners, indeed, plant their earliest cabbages consi- 

 derably closer in the rows, perhaps at fifteen inches be- 

 tween the rows, aud eight or nine inches between the 

 pleat* in the line. Tin., is done merely with the view 

 of securing a full crop ; by cutting every second cab- 

 bage in April, the other* are allowed to have room to 

 come to larger se. By market-gardener*, winter 

 spinach i* often town where the summer cabbage* 

 are planted ; end when the spinach i* cleared off m 

 April, there i* thus a crop of cabbage on the ground, 

 whiah i* encouraged by stirring the earth and drawing 

 it around the plant*. These operation*, it may be ie- 

 marked, are not to be omitted in any of the cabbage 

 row*. Indeed, the otoner the ground i* stirred, the 

 litter M the crop. In the end of April, or begin- 

 ning of May, the early cabbages naturally begin to turn 

 in their leaves, and to harden in the centre. Some 

 gardener* then bind the leaves close with willow twigs 

 or strands of bas-m*t, so a* to produce a degree of 

 bundling in the middle ; and they are thus a fortnight 



ic seed* of cabbage* for autumn nd winter 

 i*e are town in the end of February or beginning of 

 March. If pricked out into shady herder, in May.lod 



allowed to 



Kiubtii 

 Garden. 



nain there for some weeks, they form 

 plants, and are let* apt to have long 

 talks. In June they are finally transplanted, at the 

 amedietance* as the early kinds. If the weather prove 

 dry at the time of tnmpknting, they are watered every 

 evening till they have again taken root. These cabbage* 

 come to be fit for ue in the autumn month*, and 

 they continue good, in sheltered situation!, and in or- 

 dinary season*, till February or March. To preserve 

 them from severe weather, some market gardener* 

 trench a piece of ground ia ridge* in November, and 

 lay the cabbage* a* do*e a* possible on one side in the 

 trench, wteieae, the stem* with earth : the outer part 

 of the more exposed aide of the cabbage is generally 

 injured, but the inside remain* *ound. 



The best toil for cabbage* i* a rich mould, rather 

 clayey than sandy ; and it can scarcely be too much 

 enured, a* they are an exhausting crap. 



In some place*, the root* and stem* of a portion of 

 the summer crop are allowed to remain in the ground, 

 which i* slightly delved and perhaps manured in the 

 autumn. In January or February of the following 



year, very fine cabbage sprouts are produced, not much 

 interior in quality to small young cabbages. 



278. Young cabbage plants are also used as cole- 

 worts or open greens. With this view some of the 

 close-growing middle-sized kinds arc sown, such as the 

 lar^e York, or the sugar-loaf. The seed is sown in the 

 latter part of summer at different times, so that the 

 plants may be ready for use during winter and in the 

 following spring. 



279. The Red Cabbage, (Brtusica oleracea capilala Re( j g^. 

 rubra) i* chiefly used "for pickling; and the dwarf bagc. 

 red variety certainly does make one of the most beau- 

 tiful pickles that can be presented at table. It is also 

 shredded down in winter salads. In the north of Scot- 

 land, a sort of open red cabbage is much cultiv:ihd 



by the common people, under the name of Aberdeen 

 cabbage. 



280. Of the Sai-oy Cabbage, ( Brastica oleracea tabau- sroy Cb- 

 Ja), which is distinguished by having wrinkled leaves, bgt. 

 there are two principal sorts, the yellow and the green, 



the latter being esteemed the hardiest. Savoys are 

 sown about the middle of April, and planted out ia 

 June. They may be planted considerably closer than 

 the common cabbage. If savoys are wished liefore 

 winter, the seed is sown in February, or even in the 

 preceding autumn ; in which last case, fine Urge plants, 

 well cabbaged, are ready for the table in the months of 

 September and October. The later crop affords a sup. 

 ply through the winter and till February or March : Sa- 

 voys, far from being injured by moderate frost, arc 

 reckeoed better when somewhat pinched by it. 



The root* of cabbage* or savoys, when planted year 

 after year on the same land, are very subject to the 

 attack of a particular kind of grub, the larva of a small 

 fly ; the roots swell into knobs, and the plant bet 

 kickly and stunted. The cabbage ground should there- 

 fore be changed every year. 



The culinary use* of the close cabbages, are too 

 well known to require notice. The spare leaves or 

 bead* are always useful where milch cows arc kept . 

 and young open cabbage plants, or such as are just 

 closing in the centre, nuke excellent colewortt, as al- 

 ready mentioned 



-'M. The rainng of the teed of the different sort* 

 of cabbage, affords employment to many person* in 

 varioo* pert* of England. It is well known that no 

 plant* are more liable to be spoilt by cross-breeds than 

 the cabbage tribe. Unless toe plants of any particu- 

 lar variety, when in flower, be kept at a very con-, 

 siderable distance from any other, also in flower, bees 

 are extremely apt to carry the pollen of the one to the 

 other, and produce confusion in the progeny. Market 

 gardeners, and many private individuals, raise seed 

 lor their own use. Some of the handsomest cabbage* 

 of the different sort* are dug up in autumn, and sunk 

 in the ground to the head; early next summer a flower 

 stem appears, which is followed by abundance of seed. 

 A few of the soundest and healthiest cabbage stalk* 

 furnished with sprout*, answer the same end. Win u 

 the aeed ha* been well ripened and dried, it will keep 

 for six or eight years. It is mentioned by Basticn, that 

 the seed growers of Aubervilliers have learned, by ex- 

 perience, tliat seed gathered from the middle flower, 

 stem produce* plants which will be fit for use a fort- 

 night earlier than those from the seed of the lateral 

 flower-stem* : this may deserve the attention of the 

 watchful gardener, and o*sit him in regulating fail 

 rive crop* of the tame kiitd of cabbage. 



