February, 1909 



THE GARDEN MAGAZINE 



21 



Kale, cabbage and broccoli. The earliest sowings are made in heat in February. Sow for main crop and for winter in June and July 



then three or four inches of earth. As the 

 weather gets colder add more earth to the 

 depth of about a foot. 



Another way is simply to keep them in 

 cold frames. Any house or cellar is fatal 

 to them, as they always rot or grow. They 

 can, however, be stored on shelves in an 

 open shed. 



It is an astonishing fact that such strik- 

 ingly different plants as kale, cauliflower, 

 collards, and Brussels sprouts have all been 

 developed by man from the cabbage. Yet 

 it is impossible to tell one from the other by 

 the seed alone. 



COLE WORT, COLLARDS, AND KALE 



The prototype of the cabbage family is 

 the colewort, which still grows wild in parts 

 of Europe and Asia. It was originally 

 boiled and eaten as an accompaniment to 

 meat. The cultivated colewort of to-day is 

 finer in texture and milder in flavor, being, 

 in fact, young cabbage picked before it has 

 started to make a heart. The leaves are 

 picked when about the size of a man's hand, 

 and if perfectly fresh make a dainty and 

 wholesome dish. 



Georgia collards are much like coleworts, 

 but are especially adapted for growing in 

 warm, dry climates. 



Kale, or borecole, is another non-heading 

 type, which is strikingly beautiful because 

 of its fluted leaves. It is supposed to have 

 come from the Savoy cabbage. It is essen- 

 tially a winter crop, as the leaves become 

 tender and sweet only after being exposed 

 to frost. It is used only for greens, and is 

 coarser in flavor than cabbage but easier 

 to grow. There are several variegated kales 

 of great beauty in form and color, which 

 are useful for garnishing. Do not pick kale 

 while the frost is on it. 



BRUSSELS SPROUTS 



Brussels sprouts are considered by some 

 to be the most delicately flavored member 

 of the cabbage family. The leaves do not 

 all unite to make one large cabbage, but 

 miniature cabbages, or "sprouts" are formed 

 all the way up a long stalk, which sometimes 

 grows as high as three feet. They make an 

 expensive dish, as they cost about fifteen 

 cents a basket, and two baskets are required 

 to make a dish large enough for a good-sized 



family. This makes the cost about twice 

 that of cabbage. It is a great pity this 

 vegetable cannot be grown in larger quanti- 

 ties and sold cheaper. The flavor resembles 

 the Savoy rather than the common cabbage. 



The most delicate, both in texture and 

 flavor, are the small, compact specimens. 

 The large, loose -leaved strains have coarser 

 leaves and are not so sweet. They are, 

 however, often demanded from the erro- 

 neous idea that the hard ones are stronger 

 flavored than the loose. Freshness counts 

 for everything in this case. Moreover, with 

 stale ones so much has to be cut away 

 and wasted. 



Brussels sprouts require the longest grow- 

 ing season of all the cabbage tribe. They 

 are usually sown for the first time about the 

 middle of March, and they will not be ready 

 for the table until about the end of October. 

 If wanted "for succession," sow some again 

 the middle of April and transplant in July. 

 The sprouts will be sweeter and tenderer if 

 they are allowed a touch of frost before 

 picking. In the autumn the leaves should 

 be cut off near the stem, so as to allow the 

 sprouts to develop. 



