10 



HOW TO GROW 



vine until he (Lykurgus) shed tears from pain, 

 which gave origin to the cabbage, that, in revenge 

 against the said Godhead, had the virtue that it 

 could make intoxicated persons sober. Pythag- 

 oras recommended the cabbage as a means of 

 keeping man in "good humor and courage." But 

 enough about Grecian legends. The cabbage is 

 one of the most extensively and universally con- 

 sumed vegetables in this our own day, and, if 

 well managed, is a crop that, beside its value for 

 the home economy, will yield the skillful grower 

 fine, often large, returns as a market crop; this 

 concerns us more than Grecian myths about its 

 genesis. 



THE BEST SOIL FOR CABBAGES, 



Especially the late varieties, is a cool, clayey 

 loam that will retain moisture to some extent; 

 and, where choice can be made, a cool position — a 

 northern slope, for instance — is to be preferred. 

 For early cabbages a somewhat lighter and 

 warmer soil is preferable. Although such soils as 

 mentioned are the most favorable for cabbage 

 growing, considerable modifications of soil will 

 answer very well if properly managed. But it 

 would be a mistake to attempt to grow cabbages 

 on a large scale in decidedly light soils, especially 

 if these rest upon a sandy or gravely subsoil. If, 

 on the other hand, the subsoil be of a clayey 

 character, good crops may often be grown, even 

 on rather light soil, with judicious manuring and 

 cultivation. On a small scale, for home con- 



