I30 



time. Cabbage is usually planted in rows from 30 

 to 36 inches wide with the plants from 20 to 30 

 inches apart in the row. The distance will depend 

 somewhat upon the varieties grown. The close- 

 leafed plants of the Jersey Wakefield require much 

 less room for their proper development than the 

 varieties of the Flat Dutch type. It is a common 

 saying among gardeners that the cabbage crop 

 needs more hoeing than any other. In any case, 

 it seems almost impossible to give the cabbage too 

 much cultivation. Frequent shallow stirrings of the 

 soil conserve the water supply and at the same time 

 render large amounts of plant food available. A 

 quick and rapid growth is necessary for the produc- 

 tion of cabbage of high quality. In small areas the 

 cabbage is sometimes planted as a companion crop 

 with radishes, lettuce or spinach, but this renders 

 it necessary to do all the cultivating by hand and 

 greatly increases the cost of the same. It is gen- 

 erally preferable where sufficient area is available 

 to plant the cabbage by itself in order that horse 

 cultivation may be used. The narrow-tooth, shal- 

 low-cutting cultivating implements are to be pre- 

 ferred. The early crop is usually cut as soon as 

 the heads are large enough to meet market re- 

 quirements, which is likely to be long before 

 it is fully matured. Much of the early cab- 

 bage is cut before the heads are sufficiently solid 

 to hold up well in handling and results in dissatis- 

 faction among the growers, consumers and dealers. 

 A nearly matured head will take up about as much 

 space as it would a few days later when it has be- 

 come hard and solid, but will weigh very much less. 

 Sales are always slow when heads are soft and loose. 

 It may be taken as a general rule that cabbage 



