STOKES SEED FARMS COMPANY 



MOORESTOWN 



NEW JERSEY 



Petsai or Chinese Cabbage 



■A 



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Although of the genus Brassica, petsai is not of the cabbage family. Strictly speaking, it 

 is a mustard. Petsai has been grown in China for forty centuries, where, up until very 

 lately, their farm labor cost $21.00 a year. Being one of the most important vegetables of that 

 country, this in itself testifies as to economy in production. There are many varying types. Records 

 show that it was brought to America shortly after 1850. The lamented plant explorer, Meyer, was 

 responsible for bringing several distinct varieties of petsai to America. Thorburn was the first to 

 introduce it commerciallj' in 1885. For twenty years it was offered by probably less than a dozen 

 seedsmen. At the present nearly all the seedsmen in America list it. The name petsai is not varietal. 

 As was the case with many vegetables introduced into this country in the early days, no distinct 

 varieties were offered. At the present time, perhaps five are known commercially. We list the two 

 which we believe are the most desirable at the present time, viz.. Shantung and Wong Bok. As 

 a salad to be served with mayonnaise or French dressing, we emphatically urge its more general use. 

 It may also be cooked in the same manner as spinach or Swiss chard, giving a dish which resembles 

 cabbage in appearance, but tasting somewhat like Brussels sprouts. It is not only more nutritious 

 than lettuce but is a better keeper and is far cheaper to grow. Mr. Charles F. Seabrook, General 

 Manager of the Seabrook Farms Company, the largest vegetable growing organization in this country, 

 claims that petsai can be grown and marketed for one-half the cost of lettuce. The spirit of the times 

 in this country is surely lining up on the side of economy and there is every rea.son for beheving that 

 Chinese Cabbage or Petsai will be in more and more general demand by the American consumers. 

 The last twenty years have given us the grapefruit, the avocado, the ripe olive, the casaba melon, 

 French Endive (Chicory) and many other table dishes entirely new to this country. Petsai may be 

 grown successfully in practically every part of the United States and it is only a question of developing 

 the markets, and this alone is the onlj- drawback to its more speedy adoption. To quote Dr. Fairchild 

 in the Journal of Heredity, November, 1918, "In the Chinese Petsai we have a rival of the lettuce 

 in so far as any vegetable can rival another. It deserves at least to be given the serious consideration 

 of Americans as a supplement of lettuce. It can be produced for about half the money. It can be 

 grown everywhere throughout the country. It is a better keeper than lettuce and, pound for pouild, 

 contains much more nutritive substance. Furthermore, in appearance it is more attractive. " 



No. 142. Petsai Shantung. 18 inches tall. 



No. 144. Petsai Wong Bok. 12 inches tall. Price of either variety. Pkt. 10^, oz. 25^, 



PETSAI SHANTUNG 



PETSAI AND LETTUCE COMPARED— Above Is shown a head of lettuce at the left anrt a head of petsai at the right. Below is lettuce salad at the 

 left, petsai at the right. 



— Courtesy of U. S. Department of Agriculture, through the American Genetic Association. 



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A row of Petsai will be valuable in any garden 



