152 



THE VEGETABLE GARDEN 



Tronchuda. As far as we have seen, it possesses no special merit 



beyond its great degree of hardiness. 



The Thick-leaved Coutances Cabbage resembles closely the 



Couve Tronchuda. The midrib of its leaf is not so large, but, on 

 the other hand, it forms a much better head, which in the course 

 of the autumn becomes very compact, white, and exceedingly firm 

 at the heart. 



French, Chou de Bruxelles. German, Briisseler Sprossen-Kohl. Flemish and Dutch^ 

 Spruitkool. Dajiish, Rosenkaal. Italian, Cavolo a germoglio, Spanish, Bretones- 

 de Bruselas. Portuguese^ Couve de Bruxellas. 



This variety of Cabbage bears some analogy to the Savoys in 

 its dark green and somewhat crimped leaves ; but, on the other 

 hand, it has a longer stem than any of the other head-forming 

 Cabbages, and its leaves, although very numerous, do not form a 

 true head. It is grown for the sake of the sprouts, which are 

 produced in the axils of the leaves all along the stem, and of which 

 the small spoon-shaped leaves are very closely and compactly 

 wrapped round one another so as to form small heads, which are 

 round in shape and produced in great abundance. They make 

 their appearance first at the bottom of the stem, and, as these are 

 cut away, fresh " sprouts " appear in succession almost up to the 

 top of the stem. This long-continued production of sprouts, which 

 is maintained in the severest frosty weather, and also the very fine 

 quality of the vegetable, have caused the Brussels Sprouts to be 

 one of the most highly esteemed and most generally grown 

 kitchen-garden plants. There is something singular, from a 



Curled Winter Borecole Cabbage natural size). 



BRUSSELS SPROUTS 



