EARLY CABBAGE 



63 



(I am reminded of that famous quotation: 



"The Chinch-Bug eats the farmer's grain 



The Bee-Bug spoils his honey, 

 The Bed-Bug fills his nights with pain, 



And the Hum-Bug gets his money.") 



After the cabbage plants are set in the field they have to take 

 their chances with the maggots, wire-worms, cut-worms, and the 

 like. Our experiment stations have experimented considerably along 

 this line, and have advocated the use of a number of different mix- 

 tures for the eradication of these pests. But, as a rule, the remedies 

 so far advanced cost too much to apply — the game is hardly worth 

 the powder. The supply of cut-worms can be somewhat diminished 

 by the use of poisoned mashes. 



Plowing as late in the fall as possible is often of some benefit, 

 as the worms or their larvte are thrown up and killed by freezing. 

 Anything that will promote growth will lessen the effect of those 

 insects. Early planting, an application of nitrate of soda, plenty of 

 cultivation and hoeing are about the best remedies. Club root often 

 causes considerable loss, especially on poorly drained land. A heavy 

 application of lime the fall previous to planting often proves very 

 beneficial. Little or no trouble is to be feared from this disease if 

 cabbage or any plants of the same family are not grown oftener than 

 once in three or four years in the same piece of land. 



Many growers imagine that, when they have grown a good crop, 

 of cabbage, they have done about all they can do. If cabbage is scarce 

 and the price high, they are lucky; and if the market is overstocked, 

 they are unfortunate. There is some truth to it, but the same prin- 

 ciples w^hich apply to packing apples are also true in regard to cab- 

 bage. There is such a thing as having a reputation even for growing 

 cabbage, and a good reputation is worth money. Nine times out of 

 ten, the man who is condemning the commission man the loudest is 

 the one who is not familiar with the market requirement or who is not 

 putting up an honest package. Most commission men are desirous of 

 getting consignments from growers upon whom they can rely, not 

 only for an honest pack, but for a supply year after year. It is to their 

 advantage to give such a grower a square deal. For my part, I can- 

 not see how we could do business without the commission men. 

 What we want is a strong organization which will weed out the 

 unreliable ones. 



