^ THE CABBAGE 131 



year instead of the second, and with much thickened branches. 

 Cabbages, Savoys, Brussels Sprouts, and Borecole contain a very 

 high percentage of water (about 90 per cent.), and their value as 

 food depends mainly upon the fact that they furnish an abundant 

 winter supply of gre^en food-stuff. They are all sown on a seed 

 bed, from which they are transplanted as soon as the young 

 plants are big enough to be handled. The seed should be sown 

 quite thinly on a fine seed bed previously watered if at all dry. 

 Thick sowing gives rise to weak, leggy plants. The permanent 

 bed must be deeply dug and well manured, as all members of the 

 Cabbage tribe are heavy feeders. Brocoli may be sown in almost 

 any month ; Brussels Sprouts are usually sown in March, April, 

 and May ; Cauliflowers are unable to withstand frost. Subject to 

 these remarks, we may say that there are two principal periods 

 during which the varieties of Brassica oleracea may be sown, 

 namely, in March for a winter supply, and in June for a spring 

 supply. In planting out, the rows are marked with the garden 

 line, and the young plants dibbled in, care being taken, as with 

 the transplanting of all small young plants, that the young plant 

 reaches the bottom of the hole. The distance between the rows 

 should be two feet, and this also should be the distance between the 

 plants in the rows, except that in the case of the spring Cabbages 

 the distance in the row may be reduced to fifteen or eighteen 

 inches. Brocoli, though much hardier than Cauliflowers, surfer 

 also to some extent when exposed to lengthy periods of frost 

 succeeded by a rapid thaw. Hence it is usual to " heel " Brocoli, 

 that is, to bend them over towards the north on the approach of 

 bad weather, the object being to prevent a too speedy thawing 

 by the sun. Cabbages require to be well watered, and they are 

 also benefited by doses of liquid manure (farmyard) applied close 

 to the roots. To preserve the soil moisture from evaporation a 

 good surface mulch should be maintained by means of the 

 Dutch hoe. In the following list are given the names of the best 

 kinds. 



Brocoli Winter White, for spring sowing. 



King of the Brocoli, for May sowing. 



Cauliflower Walcheren, Sutton's Purity. 



Brussels Sprouts Aigburth. 



