146 VEGETABLE GARDENING. 



help in providing a vigorous growth later in the season. As a 

 rule, early cabbage should be set out as soon as the frost in out 

 in the spring and the ground nicely settled. It is iniportaiit to 

 set the plants deep in the ground at this season, and bince the 

 stem is the part most liable to injury from hard iro^t^^ it should 

 be set deep enough to bring the base of the loaves below the 

 ground. This is very important and frequently makes the differ- 

 ence between success and failure in growing the early crop. I! 

 severe weather is threatened after the plants are set out, it is h 

 good plan to draw a hoe-ful of earth over each plant, for if frozen 

 when they are covered with earth they will not be injured, and 

 they can remain buried in the ground several days in cold weath- 

 er without serious injury. However, the earth should be removed 

 as soon as good weather is assured. The distance between 

 the plants will depend somewhat on the varieties to bo culti- 

 vated; under ordinary conditions the large, early kinds should 

 be set out two feet apart in rows three feet apart. This arrange- 

 ment permits of horse cultivation both ways when the plants 

 are young and one way when they are full grown. 



Cultivation s'lould commence as soon as the rows can bo 

 clearly seen, and should be repeated after each rain or at least 

 once a week until the crop is grown. For this purpose a fine- 

 tooth horse cultivator is the most desirable instrumer.i, and \i 

 the work is carefully done there will be very little need of hand 

 hoeing. It is a good plan to draw the earth slightly toward the 

 plants when they are about half grown. 



Harvesting the Crop. — Treated in this way, under ordinary 

 conditions they will be nicely *'headed up" by the first of July 

 and ready for marketing. The season for marketing, however, 

 will depend largely on the kinds grown. If the land is at once 

 plowed when the crop is harvested, it can be used for growing 

 some late crop, as late beans, spinach or celery. By care in 

 sov/ing and the selection of varieties early cabbage may be cou- 

 tinued till late cabbage is in the market. 



Retarding the Heading of cabbages may be accomplished by 

 starting the roots on one side of the head or by slightly pulling 

 the plant so as to break som.e of the roots. This is very impor- 

 tant some seasons, as it is not uncommon to find the market over- 

 stocked with this vegetable just as the crop is full grown, and 



