21 



strong, but comparatively slender, as it seldom attains a diameter of If inches. In 

 the first year of its growth it does not usually exceed 3 or 4 feet in height. The 

 plant produces a great number of leaves, which are green, large, cut at the base, but 

 oval rounded at the end, slightly crimped or puifed on the upper surface, and often 

 over 2\ feet long. They grow at some distance from one another, and after they 

 have fallen or have been plucked, a scar is left where the stalk was ported from the 

 stem. The variety is a hardy one, and will bear the cold .of ordinary winters at 

 Paris. It does not always run to flower in the spring of its second year, but often 

 continues producing leaves and growing taller, in which case it does not flower 

 until the spring of its third year (including the year in which it was sown), when it 

 reached its greatest height. The leaves are usually pulled to feed cattle, the stems 

 being allowed to remain in the ground until the next spring, when the tops which 

 are about to run to flower are cut off and applied to the same uses as the leaves. 

 The stems, having become hard and woody, can not be utilized in this way, but 

 they are sometimes dried and made into walking sticks." ( Vilmorin.) 



2032. Brassica oleracea acephala. Kale. 



From France. Received through Mr. W. T. Swingle, February 13, 1899. 



"Borecole, large-leaved, Jersey kale," rather tender. A forage plant. "This 

 variety, which comes very near No. 2031, but is usually not so tall, is especially 

 remarkable for the enormous size of its leaves, which often grow more than 3 feet 

 long, and from 12 to 14 inches broad. The blade of the leaf is of an elongated-oval 

 shape, with entire uncut margin and tolerably crimped surface. It is a very pro- 

 ductive forage cabbage, succeeding best in rich soil in a temperate climate, as it is 

 not perfectly hardy." ( Vilmorin.) 



2033. Brassica oleracea acephala. Kale. 



From France. Received through Mr. W. T. Swingle, February 13, 1899. 



"Flanders." Extremely hardy, but not so productive as Chou cavalier (No. 2031). 

 " A forage plant of large size, but somewhat smaller than the tree cabbage, from 

 which it is also distinguished by the violet-red color of its leaves and stems. It 

 bears frost extremely well, even better than the tree cabbage, on which account it 

 is preferred to any other kind for field culture in the north of France. The plant is 

 sometimes branched, in which respect it differs from the tree cabbage, the stem of 

 which is most usually unbranched. The leaves of the Flanders kale also are smaller 

 and narrower in proportion to their length. They are often undulated and, as it 

 were, puckered at the edges, giving them some slight resemblance to the leaves of 

 the borecoles." {Vilmorin.) 



2034. Brassica oleracea acephala. Kale. 



From France. Received through Mr. W. T. Swingle, February 13, 1899. 



"Thousand-headed or branching Borecole." Somewhat tender. "Another very 

 large kind, distinguished from the tree cabbage by its stem being usually divided 

 into a number of branches, each of which bears large leaves almost like those of the 

 tree cabbage. Although it does not grow so tall as that variety it is generally con- 

 sidered more productive, but it is not so hardy and often suffers from the winters of 

 middle and northern France. It originated in some part of the west of France, and 

 is more suited to the climate of that region." ( Vilmorin. ) 



2035. Brassica oleracea acephala. Kale. 



From France. Received through Mr. W. T. Swingle, February 13, 1899. * 



"Mille tetes." This variety is used for forage and for greens during winter in 

 western France. "A very distinct, tender variety. The stems are more branching 

 than those of No. 2034, forming a sort of tuft or little head. It is not more than 3 

 feet high, very dense and with many leaves, which are entire and largest at the 

 base. Color a peculiar yellowish green. It is important that this variety should 

 not be confused with the English variety called 'Thousand Headed Cabbage/" 

 which is called "Chou branchu du Poitou" in France. ( Vilmorin.) 



2036. Brassica oleracea acephala. Marrow kale. 



From France. Received through Mr. W. T. Swingle, February 13, 1899. 



" White marrow." A very important stock food. Its only drawback is in its being 

 tender. "A largo variety of forage cabbage with a very stout and thick unbranched 



