1 64 GARDEN FARMING 



containing a puddle (a mixture of cow manure and garden loam 

 in equal parts make a very satisfactory puddle for this purpose). 

 Plants which have been trimmed in this fashion and the roots 

 properly puddled can be set rapidly with a dibble, as shown in fig- 

 ure 9, page 40. If the soil is heavily charged with organic matter 

 or is mucky, it will be necessary to have a steel-pointed dibble, but 

 in loamy or sandy soils, a wooden dibble will answer the purpose. 



It is customary in most market-garden operations to grow an 

 extra early crop of cabbage as a succession crop with other quick- 

 maturing plants. In some instances it is set in alternate rows with 

 lettuce and radishes, the rows of cabbage plants standing about 

 3 feet apart with 2 rows of radishes and i row of lettuce between 

 the rows of cabbage, as suggested in figure i, page 6. This inten- 

 sive system can be practiced, however, only on soils which are 

 exceedingly rich and have been carefully prepared. Where land is 

 not so valuable and it is more economical to cultivate by means 

 of horse power, it is better to set the plants 18 inches apart in 

 rows 30 inches apart than to follow the intensive system noted 

 above, which necessitates carrying on all the cultivation with hand 

 implements. 



Soil for the market-garden crop. Cabbage is grown on soils very 

 diverse in character. The early crop, however, always requires a 

 soil which warms up quickly in the spring, and which can be culti- 

 vated when heavier soils would be too wet to admit of cultivation. 

 A soil charged with organic matter but with a large percentage of 

 sand is, therefore, necessary for the early crop. In general, such 

 soils are not ideal for the cabbage plant, but they are best for the 

 early crop because of the advantage which early tillage gives. On 

 these it is necessary to do practically all the deep cultivation in the 

 fall. It is a common practice to plow the soil deeply in September 

 or October, or as soon as the fall crops can be removed, and at the 

 same time to apply a heavy dressing of stable manure 40 to 

 60 loads to the acre. After plowing under the manure and thor- 

 oughly cultivating the land just previous to severe freezing, the soil 

 should be- thrown up in ridges with a lister, the center of the ridges 

 being the proper distance apart for the rows of plants, and left 

 in this condition during the winter. In the spring, the furrows be- 

 tween the ridges will act as surface drains to carry off the surface 



