61 



sammer and autumn, and cover from an eighth to a quarter 

 of an inch. Under a deficiency of winter standing young 

 plants for final transplanting in spring, or in order to have 

 some spring sown plants as forward as possible, a moderate 

 portion of some best early sorts may be sown between the 

 middle of February and the middle, of March, in a slight 

 hot-bed or frame, to nurture the plants till the leaves are an 

 inch or two in length. Then prick them into intermediate 

 beds in the open garden, there to gain strength for final 

 transplantmg." 



Planting in New England. — Some drop the seeds where 

 the cabbages are to grow. By this they escape being stint- 

 ed by transplanting ; for winter cabbages, the latter part 

 of May is early enough to put the seed into the ground, 

 whether the plants are to be removed or not. I have tried 

 both ways, and, on the whole, I prefer transplanting. They 

 are otherwise apt to be too tall, and to have crooked stems. 

 Covering plants with leaves is not a good practice. They 

 will be much heated through some sorts of leaves, the free 

 circulation of air about them will be prevented, and their 

 perspiration partly obstructed. If a hot sun cause them to 

 droop, a shingle, stuck into the ground, will be sufficient 

 shelter, if it be on the south side of the plants. I com- 

 monly allow each plant two shingles, one on the south-east 

 side, and one on the south-west, meeting at the south cor- 

 ner." — Deane. 



The act of planting should be performed carefully. 

 Holes, of sufficient depth and width, should be dibbled, foi 

 the smaller sorts of cabbages, at the distance of two feet 

 and a half, and, for the larger sort, of three feet every way. 

 In these the earth should be placed up to the lower leaves, 

 and the earth brought closely about the roots, which is 

 best done by pushing down the dibbler, at a small angle 

 with the plant, and then bringing it up to it with a jerk. 

 This leaves no chambering, (as gardeners call it,) no va- 

 cancy between the plant and the soil. 



The state of the weather, when these operations are 

 performed, is not a matter of indifference, and has been a 

 subject of controversy ; some recommending dry weather, 

 others wet. As in many other cases of disputation, the 

 truth lies between them — that is, moist w^eather is neither 

 dry nor wet, and is precisely that which is best for setting 

 6 



