1 68 GARDEN FARMING 



Soil for the truck crop. While cabbage will thrive on many 

 different soil types, that which is usually selected for truck-farm 

 operations is what gardeners call a " quick soil " one composed of 

 sand, with a small percentage of lime or clay. Much of the soil of 

 the important trucking region of the Atlantic seaboard consists of the 

 type known as " Norfolk sand " or " Norfolk sandy loam." While 

 this cannot be said to be the ideal soil for cabbage, yet on account 

 of the season at which the crop is desired, it is better than the more 

 retentive soils. Quick growth and development is a prime require- 

 ment in all truck-farming operations. Sandy soils, because they 

 contribute to this end and can be cultivated at a season when it 

 would be impossible to handle heavy soils, are almost universally 

 chosen for truck crops. 



Fertilizers for the truck crop. If possible, cabbage should be 

 grown on an area where a green crop or a liberal application of 

 stable manure can be turned under before planting in the fall. If 

 fertilizers are used at planting time, they should carry normal quan- 

 tities of phosphoric acid and potash, but only a small percentage of 

 nitrogen. There are two reasons for this : ( i ) A slow vegetative 

 growth is desired at this season, in order that the plants may be- 

 come strong enough to withstand the most trying period of the 

 winter. (2) Because of its solubility, nitrogen, if applied liberally 

 when the plants are young, would be lost, since the plants would 

 not be able to use it as fast as it became available. Then, too, a lib- 

 eral amount of nitrogen available at this period would induce a rapid 

 succulent growth, which would make the young plants tender and 

 unfit them for passing the severe weather of the winter season. 



A satisfactory fertilizer for the planting season will carry 1 1 or 

 2 per cent of nitrogen, 6 or 8 per cent of phosphoric acid, and about 

 10 per cent of potash. This fertilizer should be scattered broadcast 

 over the area at the rate of from 1000 to 1 500 pounds per acre. At 

 the approach of the growing season the development of the cabbage 

 should be stimulated by a side dressing of from 1 50 to 200 pounds 

 of some fertilizer carrying a high percentage of nitrate of soda or 

 sulphate of ammonia, with little or no phosphoric acid or potash. 



Experience has proved that it is best to induce only a moderate 

 growth in the cabbage immediately after planting, so that the leaves 

 shall be firm and tough to resist any severe temperature which may 



