THE HISTORY OF THE CABBAGE TRIBE. 



21 



B. capitata alba, the White Cabbage Cole, is the first he recognises as 

 a true cabbage, but the leaves are more erect and still loose. He says 

 of these two, No. 3. " The red kind of Colewoort is likewise a Colewoort 

 of the garden, and differeth from the common in the colour of his leaves, 

 which tende vnto rednesse, otherwise very like No. 4. There is also 

 founde a certaine kinde heereof with the leaues wrapped togither into a 

 rounde head or globe, whose head is white of colour, especially toward 

 winter, when it is ripe." 



Fig. 5 is called B. patula, or Open Cabbage Cole. The leaves are 

 represented as quite circular ; but, as Gerard says, " when it cometh to 

 the shutting up or closing togither, it rather dilateth it selfe abroade 

 than closeth al together." As the object of the cultivator is to make 

 his cabbages form a " heart " this form has probably disappeared. 



The genuine hearting cabbage is represented by Gerard's fig. 5. It 

 is "lesser than the white cabbage, and the colour of the leaves is of a 

 lighter red than those of the former" (No. 4). Gerard gives two figures 

 of the Savoy Cabbage, now known botanically as B. oleracea bullata ; 

 but this character of bulging between the meshes of the ribs and rims 

 is neither figured nor alluded to, so that it is probably a later pro- 

 duction. He figures them as having round leaves, but very "open," 

 thus describing them : 



Fig. 11, B. sabauda, " Sauoie Cole. The leaues are greet and large, 

 verie like to those of the great Cabbage, which turne themselues 

 vpwardes as though they woulde embrace one another to make a loued 

 Cabbage ; but when they come to the shutting vp they stande at a staie, 

 and rather shewe themselues wider open than shut any neerer togither ; 

 in other respects it is like vnto a Cabbage." In this respect, therefore, 

 it resembles an intermediate stage between kales and the hearting or 

 headed cabbages of to-day. 



Messrs. Sutton have developed a bullated form of Kale, called the 

 " Palm-leaved Kale," which might represent the preliminary stage 

 towards the Savoy Cabbage, the leaves spreading, like those of a palm 

 tree, and not incurved. 



Fig. 12 is B. s. crispa, " Curled Sauoie Cole," which only differs in 

 having a slightly curled margin. 



The present-day description of the Savoy as given in the " Treasury 

 of Botany" is that it is "chiefly distinguished by its leaves being 

 wrinkled in such a manner as to have a netted appearance. When 

 fully headed it forms an excellent hardy winter vegetable." Hence the 

 Savoy differs now from Gerard's in having a central heart, a "bullated " 

 surface, and often a crisped margin. 



The varieties of true "hearting " cabbages are now innumerable, and 

 it would be useless to enumerate them. Some are suitable for cattle 

 and more for domestic purposes. Messrs. Carter alone have nearly forty 

 varieties of red, white, and Savoy cabbages. 



When globular buds are produced they can be borne on the stem in 

 the axils of the leaves or leaf-scars, and only a rosette of leaves on the 

 top, giving us the ordinary Brussels sprouts. The top may be replaced 

 by many buds, as occurred in 1787, or both may be combined, a true 

 cabbage being borne with sprouts below. This is Messrs. Carter's new 



