70 FAEM-GAEDENING AND SEED-GEOWING. 



The main point is to protect the stalk at junction with 

 the head, as it is here the most sensitive to cold, and must? 

 be well covered. 



The bed is then banked up, back, front, and ends, to a 

 depth of two feet, or more, and so left until cold weather, 

 when it must be covered with coarse hay, straw, stalks, or 

 brush, lightly, not as a protection against freezing, but to 

 prevent alternate freezing and thawing. As soon as the 

 ground can be worked in the spring the cabbages must 

 be set out, the heads opened, and in all other ways 

 managed as directed for early cabbages, except that they 

 will not require space and earth for ridging, as those 

 planted in the fall. The rows may be only three feet apart, 

 but it is well to give plenty of room, to avoid the intertwin- 

 ing of the branches, and prevent loss of seed, by stripping 

 out in harvesting. * 



In any event avoid exposing the stalks to the sun, by 

 covering them, as well as the roots, with earth. When 

 the seed is ripe, which may be known by the pods turn- 

 ing yellow, and eventually becoming dry, the stalks must 

 be cut off and laid on the ground for a day or two to dry. 

 It is best to gather it when the pods are yellow, for if 

 allowed to remain until they are dry, the seeds lose color 

 and shrivel up. It will be necessary to make three cut- 

 tings to secure a crop in prime order. After the stalks 

 have lain long enough to cause the seed to shell readily 

 from the pods, they can be removed on cloths, or if a large 

 quantity is to be handled use a high-box wagon, covering 

 the sides and bottom with cloths to prevent loss. Carry 

 it to the thrashing floor. But little labor will be required 

 to thrash it out ; in fact, the most will shell in the wagon 

 while loading, and care must here be exercised or much 

 may be lost. 



When thrashed, remove the stalks, run through the fan- 

 mill, and lay the seed away on cloths, in a loft, for a 

 fortnight, to dry, after which it may again be passed 



