CABBAGE. 



f, wff Tacancies are left, by their decay, to be afterwards 

 filkd. Tlif plants arc iikewife much more readily railed 

 from the feed-bed, and with much lefs injury to the roots, 

 which is a mntter of importance. The work is performed 

 upon the land in a flat llatc, and alfo when railed into 

 ridges by means of the plough ; but the latter mctb.od is 

 the more general, and ought probably to be preferred 

 wherever the foil is much inclined to the retention of 

 moillure. On the lighter and more dry foils the fiat fur- 

 face may, Jiowever, be more proper and ufefid, as pre- 

 fcrving a due degree of moifture more effeftually, efpecially 

 in di7 feafons. 



In regard to the diftance of planting, it mull depend 

 in a great meafure upon the llrength and goodr.cfs of the 

 foil, and the natural fize of the variety of cabbage that is 

 employed; but in general it fliould be fiich as that the 

 ground between them may be cultivated and kept clean 

 by the ploucrh, and yet admit of bearing a full crop. It 

 is evident that where the plants ftand thin they will attain 

 a larger fize, while in clofe planting there will be a greater 

 numb°r of plants upon the land, which may compcnfate 

 for the difadvantage in the want of fize. It feems proba- 

 ble that both cabbages and turnips may be fet out too 

 thin, as the increafe of fize is not always equal to that of 

 number. It is the praftice in fome dillricts, where this 

 culture is well performed, to fet them out regularly at the 

 diftince of three feet each way, as in this method the 

 plough in cleaning and earthing up the crops, can be con- 

 duded both in longitudinal and crofs direction, and of 

 courfe the foil between the plants be not only ftirred in 

 the mod effeftual manner, -but the earth mod completely 

 laid up to the roots of the plants, and their growth more 

 fully promoted. Where the larger varieties of cabbage 

 are employed, and the land is fufficiently ilrong, this may 

 of courfe in general be the moft advantageous diftance; 

 but where the fmaller varieties are made ufe of, and the 

 ground is of a lefs ftrong and rich quality, two feet and a 

 half may be a more proper diftance. Other cultivators fol- 

 low a different praftice, fome preferring four feet by two 

 feet and a half, while others advife only two feet by twenty 

 inches, or even i8 inches. In thefe latter diftances the 

 cabbages are, however, under the neceffity of being hand- 

 hoed between tiie plants in the row's, the intervals only 

 being cleaned by the plough. The culture cannot of 

 courfe be by any means lo perfeiElly performed ; the foil 

 in the former method being wholly removed, except the 

 fmall portions immediately about the roots of the plants, 

 while in thefe much of it will remain untouched, arid be 

 not only left in a more foul condition for fucceeding crops, 

 but lefs beneficial in promoting the growth of the cabbages. 

 The experiments and obfervations of Mr. Baker, in the cul- 

 tivation of cabbages in the field, led him to recommend the 

 following as the moft fuitable diilances for the different va- 

 rieties which he empUyed. 



Viir'ieties. Senfons. Dijlances. 



Long-lidedcabbage, Winter plants, 2 ft. by 4, or 18 in. by 4 ft. 

 Flat Dutch cabbage, ditto ditto ditto. 



Scotch cabbage, ditto ditto ditto. 



Flat Dutch cabbage, Spring plants, 18 inches by 4 feet. 

 Scotch cabbage, ditto ditto ditto. 



Turnip cabbage, ditto 1 foot by ditto. 



The nature of the foils on which they are cultivated is 

 not, however, defcribed. 



For all the larger forts of cabbages on the different f<irts 

 ©f ftrong rich foils, the moft advantageous diftances may 

 be three feet each way, and on the more light foils two 

 feet and a half. But for the fmalltr forts, two fett each 



wav on the (Irong foils, and eighteen or twenty inches cji 

 fuch as ar'.- light. Whatever diilances may be thought the 

 moll advantageous, it is oblerved by a late writer, that it will 

 conftantly be neccffary to attend to the manner of fetting 

 them out, the fize of the plants, and the mode of taking 

 them up from the feed-beds, as much depends upon thefe 

 operations being properly performed. In fetting the plants 

 out ill the ridge method, it is neceffary to have them 

 placed in lines as regularly as poffible, according to the 

 diftances employed, along the middle or crown of the 

 ridges, immediately upon the part in v.'hich the manure has 

 been inclofed ; as by having this accompliftied in an accu- 

 rate manner, they not only admit of being cultivated be- 

 twixt with more eafe and convenience, but derive the 

 utmoft poffible advantage from the manure, and at the fame 

 time, from its being more concentrated, require a fmaller 

 proportion to be employed. The 11 ze of the plants is 

 likevvife a circumftance of confequence, as the large ftout 

 plants not only take root with more certainty, but are lefs 

 expofed to danger from flugs and other caufes. In re- 

 moving the plants from the feed or other bed, for the pur- 

 pofe of being planted out, it is alio of much utility to have 

 their roots as little broken or otherwife injured as poffible. 

 Moift or rainv weather is the moft fuitable for this opera- 

 tion ; but in dry feafons it may be eafily accompliftied after 

 the plants in the beds have been well watered. The number 

 of plants that are employed muft obviouily be different, ac- 

 cording to the diftances at which they are planted ; but from 

 five to leven thoufand are generally fufficient for an acre 

 of land. In fetting the young plants out into the ground, 

 it is neceffary to fee that the labourers fix them well in the 

 foil, by applying the mould fo firmly round their roots by 

 means of the dibble, that they cannot eafily be drawn out 

 by taking hold of their uppermoll leaves. The plants are 

 moftly dropped at proper diftances by women and children, 

 and the dibblers follow, having a ftick for marking the dif- 

 tances with in an exaft manner. In this way an ordinary 

 labourer will plant a quarter of an acre or more in a day, 

 and an expert gardener nearly as much more. In the courfe 

 of a fortnight or three week:, after the firft fetting out of 

 the plants, it will be requifite to fill up all the vacancies 

 that have been produced by the failure of particular plants : 

 in performing which a moift time, if it be poffible, ftiould 

 be fixed upon." 



In refpeft to the expence of planting out and the other 

 neccffary operations in crops of this fort, it muft be liable to 

 vary greatly, according to the circumftances of the foil, 

 and the fitnation in refpefl to labourers. In Suffolk, ac- 

 cording to the writer of the correfted report of the agricul- 

 ture of that diftrift, it is in general about three ftiillings the 

 acre, but in other places frequently a little higher, the whole 

 charge of an acre being eftimated in this way : 



Expence oj cabbage culture on one acre. 



£. s. d. 



Charges for rent - - o 10 o 



Tythes . . . 016 



Poor rates - . -013 



For ploughing land five times - 100 



Harrowing twice - -006 



Manuring - . 200 



Seed-bed and feed, &c. - .016 



Planting out - . - o J o 



Filling up deficiencies - - o o 6 



Hand-hoeings - . . 040 



Horfe-work in hoeing - 040 



Cutting and cartage, one foHrth of a mile, o 1 ■■; o 



£: 



Id 



