20 THE FARM. 



Christmas. The seed, on account of the heat, is extremely difficult to 

 save in America ; but if a fall cauliflower were kept in a green-house 

 during winter, and put out three weeks before corn-planting time, I am 

 persuaded it would bring good seed in June. The quantity of this 

 plant must depend upon the taste for it ; but it is so much better than 

 the very best of cabbages, that it is worth some trouble to get it. 



Cabbage. — Varieties : early imperial, early dwarf Dutch, early York, 

 early sugar-loaf, early emperor, early Wellington, early heart-shaped, 

 early London market, early London Battersea, large Bergen, or Ameri- 

 can, late flat German, large green glazed, large late drum-head, red 

 Dutch for pickling, green globe Savoy, large cape Savoy, green curled 

 Savoy, turnip-rooted, in varieties. 



The early sorts of cabbages may be forwarded in various ways, either 

 by planting in the fall (see Fall Planting) or in a cold frame. But 

 early plants are now more generally raised in hot-beds. They may be 

 transplanted as early as the ground can be worked in the spring, and 

 if hoed often — the oftener the better — will produce cabbage the last of 

 June. ^ 



If seed of the large early kinds be sown in a warm border early in 

 April, they will produce plants fit to transplant in May, which will 

 make good cabbages for summer use. 



The seed of red cabbage may be sown toward the end of April or 

 early in May, and that of Savoys, and late cabbage in general may be 

 sown at two or three diflFerent times, between the middle and the end 

 of May, in fresh, rich ground. 



The most certain way of raising good strong plants in the summer 

 season is to sow the seed in a moderately shaded border, in shallow 

 drills drawn three or four inches apart. 



To have fine cabbages, of any sort, the plants must be twice trans- 

 planted. First they should be taken from the seed-bed (where they 

 have been sown in drills near to each other), and put out into fresh-dug, 

 well-broken ground, at six inches apart every way. This is called prick- 

 ing out. By standing here about fifteen or twenty days, they get 

 straight and strong, stand erect, and have a straight and stout stem. 

 Out of this plantation they come nearly all of a size ; the roots of all 

 are in the same state ; and they strike quicker into the ground where 

 they are to stand for a crop. AH the larger- sorts of cabbages should, 

 about the time that their heads are beginning to form,T)e earthed up; 

 that is, have the earth from the surface drawn up against the stem , and 

 the taller the plants are the more necessary |his is, and the higher 

 should the earth be -drawn. After the earth has been thus drawn up 

 from the surface, dig, or hoe deep the rest of the ground. Thus the 

 crop will be brought to perfection. 



The best sorts of early cabbage' are early York, large York, late 

 York, early nonpareil, early Varick. Of late the early Dutch is the best 

 table variety, while the late Dutch, Bergen, and Savoy are later and 

 larger, though less esteemed varieties. 



Celery. — The qualities of this plant are universally known. There 

 are three or four sorts ; the white, the red, the hollow, and the solid. 

 The hollow white is the best ; but the propagation and cultivation of 



