VEGETABLES DESCRIPTION AND CULTURE. 191 



Red Dutch is used principally for pickling, and should be 

 sown at the same time with the drumheads. Early York 

 and Flat Dutch are the best of the above kinds. 



SAVOY CABBAGES. (B. oleracea, var. lullata-major.) 



These differ from the preceding in their wrinkled leaves. 

 The varieties are hardy, being rendered more sweet and 

 tender by frost. The only two worthy of culture are : 



Curled SaYOy . An excellent winter variety, much im- 

 proved in sweetness and tenderness by frost. It does not 

 head firmly, but is very fine flavored, and even the outside 

 leaves are tender and palatable. 



Drumhead Savoy is almost as large and firm as the 

 drumhead cabbage, and keeps very well. The head is 

 round, flattened at top. It is nearly as delicate as the 

 curled variety. 



The Savoys are not as certain a crop as the other cab- 

 bages, but far superior in delicacy. They are nearly equal 

 to cauliflowers. 



Culture. An analysis of different varieties of the cabbage 

 shows them all to contain a very large proportion of nitro- 

 gen ; after evaporating the water, drumhead cabbage gives 

 of nitrogen 17.899 parts in a hundred ; Savoy, 20.763 ; red, 

 16.212; turnip-rooted, 19.052. We also find this plant 

 remarkably rich in phosphorus and sulphur ; hence its un- 

 pleasant smell in decay, like that of animal matter. It 

 abounds also in soda and potash. Hence, common salt, to 

 yield soda and chlorine, wood ashes for potash, bone for 

 phosphoric acid, and gypsum, to add sulphur and lime, to- 

 gether with a soil saturated with manure of animals, 

 especially the liquid excretion, all come in play in making 



