PLANTS OF THE BRASSICA GENUS. 165 



The average may be stated as twenty-four inches. 

 When thinning the plants, the skilled workman will 

 detect at a glance a single plant growing about the 

 right distance from the one last left to grow. He 

 can then without hesitation cut out all the interven- 

 ing plants. Though this single plant should vary 

 one, two, or even thi-ee inches from the exact distance 

 fixed upon, it would be better to leave this plant 

 than to leave one of a cluster in the exact spot, but 

 from which the plants around it must needs be pulled 

 out by hand. And if a blank should occur it can 

 easily be filled during the thinning process. 



The workman strikes his hoe downward into 

 the soil and lifts out the earth above it. He then 

 strikes it down beneath a single plant which other- 

 wise would be cut out and lifting it up on his hoe 

 with the adherent earth sets it down into the hole 

 previously made. Young plants may thus be re- 

 moved at almost any hour of the day, and without 

 much wilting of the leaves. 



Feeding. — When the crop is sold in the market, 

 the feeding of the unused portion should begin at 

 once, the leaves being gathered with a fork and 

 conveyed directly to the stock, or stored in a flat pile 

 for subsequent feeding, not more than ^ foot in 

 depth. If allowed to lie on the ground underneath' 

 a hot sun, they would soon wither and entirely lose 

 their feeding value. 



But when the crop is to be fed in its entirety, 

 .the plants may first be cut ofif at the surface of the 

 ground or underneath it by the use of a sharp hoe 

 or spade. A strong spud would probably do the 

 work more effectively than either the hoe or the 



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