VEGETABLES DESCRIPTION AND CULTURE. 193 



of trees ; if shaded from the midday sun, it is an advan- 

 tage, but it must not be by trees. In the shade of trees 

 and other confined situations, they are much more subject 

 to be infested with caterpillars, and to grow weak and 

 spindling. In planting out, any of which the roots are 

 knotted and clumped should be rejected. 



Early York cabbage seed may be sown early in 

 September or October in the open ground, watering 

 in the evening when dry, as it usually is this month. 

 The seed should be sown in drills, six inches apart, and 

 one inch deep, and the ground deeply dug; water the 

 drills before covering the seed, unless the ground is moist. 

 Cover with fine, rich soil, pressed lightly upon the seed. 

 The plants will appear in about a week, and a little soot 

 should be scattered over them to prevent the attacks of 

 insects. When large enough to transplant, they can be 

 set very thick in a cold frame or box, to stand over the 

 winter. Cover over with glass, or boards if you have 

 not glass, during severe weather, but give air every mild 

 day, and set out when the weather grows mild in the 

 spring. 



From Washington southwards, a still better way than 

 putting the plants in a frame, is to throw a piece of 

 ground into high ridges, two feet apart, running east and 

 west. On the south side of these ridges, set out the 

 plants a foot apart, so that they will be shielded from the 

 cold north winds, and enjoy the full warmth of the sun. 

 Plant on the sides of the ridges and not in the trench. 

 When the weather grows severe in December, cover 

 slightly with straw or litter ; remove it when mild weather 

 returns, and cultivate as usual, gradually levelling the 

 ridges, and you will have cabbages earlier than by any 

 other mode ; the ground should be good. If you raise 

 your plants in the cold frame, they will be ready to trans- 

 plant from the 20th to the last of February. They will 

 be very liable to be eaten off by the cutworm when 

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