BRA 



o« where they are to grow, is liocing the ground over oc- 

 caliorially between tbem in dry wcatlicr, to dcilroy wccdi, 

 aiidioufciilni; the fuifuce of t!ie eartlii in order tociicoui-a;5e 

 the growth of the plants ; and when they have advanced a 

 little, drawing fomc eai th once or twice about the botcoms 

 of tlicir ilems, to ftrcngtlu-n the plants and forward them ; as 

 in forward fprin^n the e.iihell foits will olun make eflorts 

 for hciding the latter end of April or early in May ; it anxi- 

 ous to have them as forward as poflililc, fomc ot the bell 

 may be affilled, by tying their leaves moderately clofc to- 

 gether with an ofier twijj, or piece of bafs, which promotes 

 their eabUiging, whitensi them internally, makes them more 

 crifp and tender, and caufes them to be ready for ufe a week 

 or ten da^ s earlier. In cutting fiimmer cabbages it is pro- 

 per to penr.it fome ftalks to remain to produce crops of 

 Iprouts, which they ali'ord abundantly. Thefe may cither 

 be gathered while youn^ and green, or fomc left to (land for 

 forming little heads, cither of wliich are in many inllanets pre- 

 ferred to other fummer greens j for this purpofe fugar-loaf 

 and YoiklTj're cabbagc-iblks flioidd be preferred. 

 Mithod of cu/tiii\- in ihe iiiilumii kinds. 

 In the culture of thefc forts it is neceffary to confider 

 thofe of the white or j;rcen kinds, and the red feparately. 

 Thefe farts are adapted ptincipally for autumn and winter 

 ufe, as they rarely attain any degree of perfection before 

 Auguft ; and fome of the larger kinds not till September 

 and October, but continue in excellent condition till Chrift- 

 mas, or fomc'imcs till the end of winter, fomc of the forts 

 aniying at a great bulk. When ufcd while young, or be- 

 fore they grow hard, they are excellent for culinary ufe. 

 The fcalon for fowing all tlie late kinds is, as has been ob- 

 fcrved, either autumn or April ; but to have a large fuc- 

 cefliou, it is neccflary to fow fomc feed at both f>.afons, thofe 

 fown in autumn and the firll week in Auguft arriving at per- 

 fection early in the following autumn, as Augnfl and Sep- 

 tember ; and the fpring fowing coming in abcnit the begin- 

 ning or middle of September, or towards Michaelmas, though 

 they fJdom attain any tolerable perfctlion till the end of 

 October. Thty arc very fine in November and December, 

 but rarely attain fo large a growth as the autumn-railed 

 plants. 



The fame method of putting the feed in, and pricking out 

 the plants, is to be obferved, as in the»famnier kinds. The 

 lime for planting out the autumn-raifed plants is, for a few 

 October or November, but for the jirincipal part February, 

 or early in March ; and for the fpring-raifed plants, May 

 and June. All of them muil have an open expofure of well 

 dunged ground, and the plants fet in rows two fttt and a 

 half at leall dittart; and for the larger kinds, a yard diilant 

 each way (honld be allowed. 



All the culture they need is that of hoeing, to extirpate 

 weed^, and drawing earth about their (lems, which is an 

 <frential piece of culture in the whole cabbage tribe of plants. 

 The red cabbage is principally valued for pickling, and 

 occafionally for beir.g (hrcd fmall and eaten as fallad,f jmetimes 

 alfofor Hewing. It attains perfection in autumn and winter. 

 The culture which it requires is nearly the fame as in the 

 former forts. The feed may be fown in autumn and fpring ; 

 but as it is a late cabbage, tlie fpring-raifed plants do not 

 acquire the full fize fo foon in the proper feafon as thofe 

 fown and raifed in the preceding autumn ; though it is ge- 

 nerally proper to fow fomc feed in both thefe feafons, in 

 order to obtain a lorger fucceffion. 



It is moll advifcable to fow the main crop in autumn, or in 

 the beginning of Auguft, as in that cafe the young plants 

 will be fit to prick out in September or 0(Sober in iiurfery- 

 bcds. They ftould Hand four or five inches afunder, and be 



BRA 



watered if the weather be dry. The plantt are to remain till 

 they acquire a proper growth for planting out where they arc 

 to grow, fome either the fame year in November or be- 

 ginning of December, and the rell in the fpring following ; 

 or the whole tdl that feafon, as February or March. In 

 either cafe, it is ntceffary to allot an open fituatijn of good 

 mellow ground, which lliould be well dug over and manured- 

 withdung; aquai\tity of the ftrongell plants being then drawn 

 from the nurfery-bed, (hould be planted out in rows at not lefg 

 than t\\ o f.:ci and a half dillancc every way. After being thus 

 planted out where they are to (land, they only require the 

 culture of occafional hacing in their advancing growth in 

 fpring.and beginning of fnnjmer, to delboy the riling weeds, 

 and loofen the furtace of the ground, and at the fame time 

 drawing a little earth about the lower parts of their items. 

 They will by this means advance in their growth in a fpread- 

 ing open maimer at firll and towards auLumn, gradually form 

 clofing hearts in t'le centre, and increnfe to large cabbaged- 

 hcads in full perfediou in September and Odober, ic. 

 continuing firm for fix months or more, being hardy enough 

 to refill the fevered frolls. Not only a fpnng fowing is 

 nccefi'ary to have a fucceffion to the autumn lown main- 

 crop readv, if wanted -in winter, and the follov.'ing fpring, 

 but alfo to continue longer in the latter ienfon beiore they' 

 (lioot for feed. If the fowing for a main-crop in autuiwa. 

 has been omitted, fome feed mull be fown in the fpring, as- 

 in February or early in March, but not later than that- 

 month. 



The young plants may be pricked out in April or be-, 

 ginning of May four inches afuuder, and occafionally wa- 

 tered, continuing a month or five weeks to gain fome toler- 

 able llrength, and t'.ien planting them out two feet and a 

 half afunder, where they are to grow, giving them the ne- 

 ce(rary culture of hoeing, as in the former-mentioned crops. 

 They cabbage in moderate heads about September and 

 October, and continue increafing in fize during November, 

 if the weather be open, and are proper for ufe in that fea- 

 fon, and continue good late in the, fpring till April and 

 May. 



In order to obtain a fpring fown crop as forward as pof- 

 fible for finally planting out, fome Iced may be fown in 

 Februaiy, in a moderate hot-bed, and the young plants 

 pricked out in March or beginning of April, in a warm fitu- 

 ation, or in a frame, if an unkindly feafon happens, to have 

 occafional proteftion, with glalfes, &c. in cold nights and 

 fiiarp cutting weather, to continue them forward in proper 

 growth for fetting out in April or beginning of May, and ■ 

 thereby they not only cabbage fooner but in greater per- 

 feftion and fize in autumn. 



For the field culture and modes of application of this plant 

 in feeding cattle, fee Cabb.ige. 



ALll:od rif culture in cabbage colcworts. 



Cabbage coleworts are almoft gencra'ly fnbftituted in 

 place of common green coleworts, which, though valuable on 

 account of their hardinefs in being proof againll froft, yet, 

 as table greens, are apt to boil tough and be rank tailed, be- 

 ing greatly inferior to the former. What were formerly un- 

 derllood by coleworts- were fuch cabbage-greens as never 

 clofed or cabbaged, but always remained quite open and 

 green to the heart, and were raifed for autumn, winter, and 

 fpring ufe as open greens ; but at prefent cabbage plants, 

 while they continue open and green, or jud forming little 

 central hearts, are moilly denominated coleworts, and are 

 the mod fweet and tender greens that can be cultivated for 

 autumn and winter eating, continuing fine all the fpring till 

 fummer cabbages are ready. For winter and fpring fup- 

 plies, aconfiderable quantity of thefe coleworts (Itoald always 



be 



