KALE 



267 



at a profit when in prime condition, and as a result the markets 

 are supplied with a large, coarse, bulky product which is apt to be 

 tough and stringy. Kale such as can be had from the private 

 garden is never found on the market. 



Soil. The soil upon which kale is produced both on Long Island 

 and in Virginia is a sandy loam full of organic matter. This, how- 

 ever, cannot be said to be the ideal soil for it, because, like other 

 members of the family, it thrives best on strong, retentive soils. Like 

 other cabbages it requires a liberal supply of immediately available 

 plant food. Stable manure is the 

 best fertilizer for it, but the same 

 precautions must be observed for 

 the control of clubroot, maggot, 

 etc., as in the case of cabbage. 1 



Planting. Kale is a winter 

 crop and for this reason is han- 

 dled much like late cabbage. 

 It is planted early enough in 

 the season so that the plants 

 can attain their full develop- 

 ment before cold weather. The 

 seed is usually sown in the field 

 where the plants are to grow, 

 either in drills or with a hill- 

 dropping drill. The usual time 

 for sowing in the Norfolk area 

 is from August 5 to August 20. 

 A few growers are willing to risk seeding as late as September 10, 

 but as a rule such late plantings do not return a profit. While 

 kale is a hardy plant, it does not grow much after winter sets in, 

 and as the value of the crop depends largely upon its bulk per 

 acre, it is essential that it be well grown before severe weather. 



Method of cultivation. The general culture of kale is the same 

 as that of late cabbage. From the time the growing plants appear 

 above ground they should be kept free from weeds. They should 

 be thinned to stand 6 or 8 inches apart, to allow space for the de- 

 velopment of the thick whorl of leaves at the top of the stalk. 



1 See pages 176- 178. 



FIG. 97. Plant of marrow kale (after 

 Vilmorin) 



