j 



BRUSSELS SPROUTS 



157 



rounded, and deeply hollowed or spoon-shaped leaves. If sown early 

 in spring, it comes in in August, and, if left in the ground longer, 

 it forms a small, round, very compact head. But as Cabbages of 

 all kinds are plentiful in autumn, there is no advantage in sowing 

 this kind so early ; whereas, if sown in early summer, it comes in 

 at a time when tender greens are scarcest and most in demand. 



Russian Kale. — A singular plant, which, at first sight, one 

 would be inclined to take for anything else but a Cabbage. Stem 

 rather large and thickish, 16 to 20 in. high; leaves gray-green, the 

 outer ones darker and half-spreading, the central ones paler and 

 erect, all of them cut nearly down to the midrib into rather narrow 

 divisions, which are entire, or sometimes lobed, and are coarsely 

 crimped on the upper surface. At the latter end of autumn this 

 Cabbage forms a sort of a head, which is small, pretty white, and 

 very compact. Its chief merit is that it bears frosty weather very 

 well. Apart from its singular appearance, it is not easy to say 

 what this plant has to recommend it. It is certainly no advantage 

 to have the veins merely fringed with a narrow border of parenchyma, 

 or spongy substance, instead of being connected by an unbroken 

 tissue, as they are in other Cabbages. Having been grown for 

 some time chiefly in botanical collections, the Russian Kale ap- 

 peared to have become almost forgotten, and it was later on 

 re-introduced as a novelty into England. 



Culture. — The culture of Cole- bability of its growing Whole 



worts is very extensive and impor- fields, too, are sometimes cropped 



tant in London market-gardens. with it, and are cleared in good 



These are Cabbages pulled for time for winter Radishes. The 



market when about half-grown, and Rosette is grown largely for market, 



for supplying such every spare a sowing of it being usually made 



corner in market-gardens is planted. in May in beds in an open piece of 



As soon as fruit-bushes have been ground ; and, when up, the young 



cleared of their crops, rows of Cole- plants are thinned with small hoes, 



worts are planted between them; The strongest plants are first selected 



they are also planted under fruit- for transplanting, and are put in 



trees, no matter how large the trees chiefly as catch crops between other 



may be, and also between rows of vegetables. For spring Coleworts, 



Moss Roses. The space between only the thinnings of the Fulham 



Celery ridges is likewise generally Cabbage are used. The Rosette 



planted with Coleworts, as is also is, perhaps, the greatest favourite 



that between Asparagus ridges, the in the market, its beautiful white 



edges of which, too, are often heads, when bunched, having an 



cropped with Coleworts. Between attractive appearance. A kind called 



the rows of French and Runner Blue Colewort is largely grown for a 



Beans and Late Savoys the Cole- November crop, as earlier in the year 



wort is also planted; and, in fact, it is apt to "bolt." Coleworts are 



like Lettuces, it is planted in every tied in bunches, packed in waggons, 



empty space where there is a pro- and sold in this way in market. ♦ 



* London Rosette Colewort, see pp. 760, 763. Hardy Green Colewort, 

 see p. 760. 



