CULTURAL DIRECTIONS 
267 
The seed bed should be moderately fertile, fine, clear of 
stones or rubbish which would interfere with drilling, 
free from germs of diseases infecting the cabbage, and 
well supplied with moisture, particularly at the time 
of sowing. In order to have a full supply of moisture 
to insure germination, the soil should be plowed early 
in the spring and harrowed often enough to conserve 
the moisture. A special precaution may be taken by 
mulching the prepared soil with coarse litter from the 
stables. 
The time of sowing depends upon locality, exposure, 
variety and purpose of the crop to be grown. For most 
localities in the North, sowings may be made any time 
during May; some growers prefer June 1 or later. The 
latest maturing varieties, as Houser and Danish Ball 
Head, should seldom be started later than May 15, and 
earlier sowing is an advantage where the growing season 
is short, as in the mountain regions of Pennsylvania. 
Early sowing is important from the standpoint of yield, 
while late sowing, resulting in retarded maturity, is 
favorable to a long period of storage. 
Extensive growers use drills in sowing, making rows 
about 1 foot apart, thus providing ample space for tillage 
with hand wheel hoes. Too heavy sowings should be 
avoided, as thinning will then be necessary if the seed 
is good, in order to secure stocky plants. Eight to ten 
seeds an inch of drill should make a satisfactory stand. 
If the soil is fine and moist, to inch of covering will 
insure germination. Some successful growers prefer 
broadcasting rather thinly, to avoid crowding of plants. 
When this is done the bed should be in the finest condi- 
tion and the seeds raked in lightly with a garden rake. 
351. Sowing where the plants are to mature. — Some 
growers prefer sowing where the plants are to mature. 
The two main advantage^ are that the expense of trans- 
planting is avoided and there is no checking of growth, 
