CABBAGES. 73 



ditions to be fulfilled on his part ; if these are neg- 

 lected, it would be much wiser for him to let Cab- 

 bage-culture alone. 



To insure success with Cabbages as a field-crop, 

 the soil must be stirred deeply, well manured, and 

 thoroughly pulverized before planting. On thin, 

 shallow soil, no matter how much manvire is used, 

 the " run " of Cabbages will be from . medium to 

 small, with very few large, solid heads. Large, fine 

 Cabbages are always in demand, even when small 

 ones are a drug in the market. The Cabbage is a 

 rank feeder, and requires a deep, rich soil to bring 

 it to the highest point of profit. 



The market-gardener usually confines his efforts 

 to the cultivation of the early varieties. This crop 

 is without doubt the more important to him, espe- 

 cially if he is so situated that he can always rely on 

 a plentiful supply of barn-yard manure at a low 

 price ; for, unless the early Cabbage ground is deeply 

 worked and heavily manured, the crop will fail to 

 yield any profit. From ground rich enough for 

 Cabbages, a crop of Lettuce and one of Celery can be 

 taken in addition to the crop of Cabbages, the same 

 year ; these three crops, when they all succeed, will 

 give a handsome profit on the amount of capital in- 

 vested. 



A sandy loam that is thoroughly drained, either 

 naturally or by artificial means, will be found the 

 best for this crop, other things being equal. Earli- 

 ness and large, uniform-sized heads are the import- 

 ant points to be gained by the gardener in its suc- 

 'jessful cultivation. 



