JLaHsosorCs Agriculturist'' s Manual. 441 



catalogue worthy of public approbation, we have pleasure in here expressing 

 our obligation to our friend Mr. "William Gorrie. 



" A General Index is subjoined, accompanied by an index of the names of 

 the contributors mentioned under the different articles. To those who have 

 thus generously lent their aid to our undertaking we tender our best acknow- 

 ledgments. Should any omissions be here detected, our friends, we are 

 assured, will not attribute them to any want of respect, and we shall not fail 

 to rectify them in our first Supplement." — Edinburgh, 3, Hunter'' s Square, 

 May 10. 1836. 



So correct an idea of the plan of the work is given by this Preface, that it 

 remains only for us to speak of its execution, which, we think, is excellent. 

 In turning over the leaves, we come, at p. 185,, to the cow, or tree, cabbage, 

 respecting which we have a word or two to record, merely as matter of history. 

 An individual in England having shown a specimen of this variety of what is 

 properly a borecole, to Mr. Coke of Holkham, that gentleman expressed 

 surprise at its size, &c. Advantage was taken of this to puff off, as the 

 phrase is, this vegetable under a new name; viz, the Waterloo Caesarean 

 evergreen cow cabbage, and to sell the seeds at the rate of a sovereign 

 for a packet containing twenty seeds. The following is an extract from the 

 advertisement : — 



" Patronised by His Majesty. Wonderful production of nature! Waterloo 

 Csesarean evergreen cow cabbage, of recent discovery, unequalled in affording 

 the most interesting and desirable results to the farmer, grazier, and manu- 

 facturer. This singular and extraordinary species of cabbage, almost unknown 

 in England till introduced by the persevering efforts of Mr. FuUard, three 

 years since, grows from nine to twelve feet high, and from fifteen to twenty 

 feet in circumference. Five of these stupendous cabbages, now raised to the 

 greatest perfection in quality as well as size, have been repeatedly found, by 

 proper management, an ample allowance of food for one hundred sheep, or 

 ten cows, per day ; and the nutrition thence supplied by this delicious vege- 

 table will (as experience has already abundantly demonstrated) speedily pro- 

 duce the most surprising improvement in the groiuth and utility of every 

 description of cattle. As an evidence of the beneficial tendency of this cab- 

 bage, Mr. F. has the great pleasure and satisfaction of saying, that sheep fed 

 upon it have been found to produce wool of the finest silken texture, twenty- 

 five inches long; a circumstance which cannot fail immediately to claim the 

 utmost attention and admiration : as such, the cultivator of these cabbages 

 will not only realise pecuniary profit beyond any previous experience, but the 

 manufacturer will also obtain a material superior to any heretofore produced 

 by the most profitable speculation, the general and extensive demand for 

 which must exceed all present calculation. The commerce of the country, 

 as well as the interest and pleasure of the community at large, will likewise 

 be greatly, if not incalculably, enhanced by the cultivation and use of this 

 improved vegetable production. This Waterloo Caesarean cow cabbage has 

 been pronounced by the father of the Agriculturists, whom, from his well- 

 known experience, we are all bound to believe, to be the greatest wonder that 

 ever appeared in the vegetable kingdom. It was shown to that very highly 

 esteemed and truly respectable gentleman, T. W. Coke, Esq., Holkham Hall, 

 Norfolk, in October last, when he immediately said, — ' Mr. Fidlard, you 

 told me, three years ago, agriculturists luere only half ivay advanced in improve- 

 ment: this cabbage makes me say lam bound to believe you. I do say it is 

 the greatest ivo?ider the earth ever produced.' Mr. Coke subsequently intro- 

 duced several dukes and other noblemen, to the number of nine, to view this 

 great production, all of whom expressed their astonishment, and engaged a 

 part of the seed for use this year (1836). These cabbages, if designed for 

 use in the winter season, can, for convenience, as well as advantage to the 

 grower, be then removed from the fields, and will serve to make handsome 

 serpentine walks in gardens ; or they will form a most excellent avenue for 

 winter across a field ; or, by setting them singly, will make a ground, that has 



