ON REARING KITCHEN VEGETABLES. 



71 



that would obstruct the growth of the stems should be 

 carefully picked out. 



In about two or three years^ the beds will come into 

 bearing, when they should only be cut over lightly. 

 Afterwards, they may be cut more severely ; but a 

 quantity of stems should always be left to grow up and 

 seed, or the plants will soon become enfeebled. 



III.— LEAVES. 



The plants cultivated in the Kitchen Garden for their 

 leaves are, Cabbages, Savoys, Kale, or German gi-eens 

 Broccoli, Cauliflower, Spinach, Lettuce, Endive, Cresses 

 Mustard, Parsley, and Herbs. 



1. — Cabbages, 



One thousand parts of Cabbages contain forty-one 

 parts of starch, twenty-four parts of sugar, eight of 

 gluten, and the rest water, fibre, and nitrogen, on which 

 their flavour chiefly depends. 



They ai'e wholesome, and, though not quite so nutritive 

 as is sometimes represented in books, are, with the 

 exception of potatoes, the most profitable garden crop 

 that can be grown. 



Cabbages will thrive well in any richly manured soil, 

 provided it is not too dry, for they will not endure 

 drought, as they have but few roots to enable them to 

 provide against it, and by exposing a great extent of green 

 leafy surface to the atmosphere, evaporate much, and 

 consequently require a greater supply of moisture. A 

 stifi" clayey soil is therefore more suitable for them than 

 a sandy or gravelly one, though the autumn or winter 

 crops may probably succeed better in a soil of the latter 

 description, as these seasons of the year are generally 

 wet ; in summer, also, the plants will arrive at maturity 

 sooner in such soils, though they will be much smaller 

 But neither of these extremes are suitable for cabbages, 

 and a rich loamy (not clayey) soil is the best for them. 



The time for sowing is very important, and should be 

 regulated according to the time the crop is wanted. 



For a late spring and early summer main crop, the 



