268 
VEGETABLE GARDENING 
which is incidental to this operation. On the other hand, 
several disadvantages are to be considered. It is more 
expensive to combat insects when the plants are scat- 
tered than when confined to a small area. The expense 
of tillage is increased, and the cost of thinning must be 
taken into account. If the soil is heavy, it will become 
compact before the roots have made any considerable 
growth. This may result in reduced yields. In light, 
friable loams the system may be used with entire suc- 
cess, especially when the cost of labor is high and where 
transplanting machines are not available. Sowing is done 
most economically in this system by machines which 
drop and cover about half a dozen seeds at the required 
distances. Half a pound of seed is ample for an acre. 
The rows should be checked to facilitate thorough tillage. 
Sowing may be a week later than when transplanting is 
resorted to. When the plants are three or four weeks 
old they should be thinned, leaving the strongest at each 
place. 
352. Soil preparation. — For early cabbage, fall plowing 
is generally desirable ; heavy sods especially must be 
plowed down in the fall for best results. The vegetable 
matter will then be partly decayed by spring and of more 
immediate value to the crop; the soil will be filled with 
moisture, which should be conserved by harrowing as 
soon as the ground is dry enough. This tillage opera- 
tion should be repeated as often as may be necessary to 
put the land in proper condition for planting and to re- 
tain plenty of moisture to make transplanting successful. 
The most important factor in preparing soil for late 
cabbage is the question of moisture. Many failures are 
due to the late plowing of sods, followed by dry weather, 
which sometimes continues long after the proper time for 
transplanting. The only safe practice is to plow rather 
early in the spring, working down the land, as explained 
for the early crop. 
