SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
191 
CABBAGE— DHTERENCE IN PEODUCTION. 
Editors Southern Cultivator — During a recent visit 
to some of the middle and lower counties of Georgia, I was 
forcibly struck with the great contrast exhibited in their 
“long-legged collards” as compared with the short, plump 
big-headed cabbage grown with us. Many of these tall 
specimens I saw ranged from three to well nigh six feet 
in height, while ours rarely exceed two feet. However 
distinct these two varieties may at first appear to be from 
each other, certain it is the true drumhead cabbage when 
carelessly grown in a hot climate, and particularly when 
on a sandy soil, and reproduced, year after year, from its 
own seeds rapidly degenerates and become, long, lean and 
lank. Equally certain is it that the long collard when 
removed to a colder climate and carefully grown with judi- 
cious selection and maturing of seed, improves rapidly and 
results finally in the short, firm white head-cabbage. 
Observation teaches us, too, that these changes are 
not attributable to climate solely. The cultivation and 
care bestowed upon the plants has much — yes, very 
much — to do in effecting the results. We not unfrequent- 
ly see the tendency to the small head and long leg strong- 
ly developed in upper Georgia, and readily trace the cause 
to faulty cultivation. Why, then, may not the true cab- 
beige be grown to at least a good degree of perfection in the 
lower portions of our State by adopting a rational mode of 
treatment 1 1 think it can be so, and, therefore, offer these 
suggestions for the consideration of your readers in that 
section, and particularly the ladies, who usually supervise 
this department of the farm economy. 
The cabbage as we have it at this day, the books inform 
us, is essentially the creature of cultivation, very widely 
removed from its parent stock, (he rough sea Kale. Now, 
much o: the care and labor which has been expended in 
bringing about’this metamorphosis is certainly still neces- 
ary to prevent its return again to the original Kale. The 
tendency of nature is for like to produce like — “as a man 
soweth so also shall he reap.” Yet this, like all the gene- 
ral rules, has its exceptions. In cultivation, we see a con- 
stant variation in the product from the seed of any one 
plant — some better and some worse than the parent stock. 
If the belter plants be saved for seed the tendency is ever 
to a better product, if the poorer to a still poorer product. 
If we select these which mature early, the product will 
tend to earlier and earlier maturity. So, if long-legs be 
chosen, long-legs we shall have, and vice versa. Herein, 1 
think, lies much of the success to be arrived at in the 
growth of cabbages. No one should depend on his neigh- 
bor for seed, nor, indeed, on the seedsman. Let every one 
raise them to his own standard, and let the standard be 
none but the best. 
Again. In the maturing of the seed some attention is 
certainly necessary. With the seedsman who grows for 
market, the desideratum is to produce the largest quantity 
from a given number ofheads and amount of soil. With 
the housewife, on the other hand, it should be the produc- 
tion of the best and most perfect seed, and in such quan- 
tity, only, as should be wholly compatible with the high- 
est state of development. As we prune the fruit tree and 
pluck off the superabundant germs, that the remainder 
may be finer in flavor and larger in size, so also the cab- 
bage should not be neglected, nor allowed to overload it- 
self with blooms to bring to maturity a heavy crop of very 
indifferent seed, as is too frequently the case. The branch- 
es, as they shoot up should be quickly pruned off, al 
lowing only the centre one to grow, and this also should 
be pruned of all surplus limbs v.-hich might overburden 
the plant v/ith seed. By no means should any bloom be 
allowed to expand from an inferior branch or from an in- 
ferior plant to contaminate, by its pollen, the proper seed 
blooms. It is needless to suggest, w'herever the Cu/iivatcr 
finds it.3 vzay, the impropriety of cutting off the head for 
the table and allowing the naked stalks to bloom and ma- 
ture as best it can, seed for the coming crop. This and 
other likely slovenly practices have obtained to some ex- 
tent in years past. Others have suggested that the head be 
cut from the stalk and buried in the ground to rot and 
mature its seed without the stalk. I have never known 
any advantage to be derived from such a course and regard 
it too irrational to be deserving a trial. 
Will not some of your readers in lower Georgia try the 
experiment of raising cabbages year after year 1 If 
any one is disposed to do so, he need not undertake to 
trim down collards into cabbages. I will furnish him 
with seed which have been treated substantially as I sug- 
gest for twenty years past. It produces for me every 
year, crops much superior to those obtained from North- 
ern or English seed. They should, I think, be planted 
late, well cultivated on manured soil, and the best always 
with shortest stalks reserved for seed before they are 
broached for the table. Collards should not be allowed to 
bloom in their vicinity. 
I will send you a statement of my mode of growing cab- 
bages which, if you think it of sufficient interest to your 
readers, is at your service. R. B. 
Rome, Ga., Aprils 1856. 
[Let us hear from you in full on this interesting sub- 
ject. — Eds.] 
EARTHING UP THE COMMON POKE FOE SALAD. 
In looking over the first number of Good’s Famihj 
! Flora, I see some valuable medicinal qualities attributed 
1 to the common Poke, or, Phytolacca Dccandria. As a 
i vegetable, I think it is very valuable. It is always found 
I in our markets in the spring, when the shoots are from 3 
I to 6 inches high; but is not much esteemed in its green 
I state. It is frequently too old, and then becomes acrid to 
i the taste, and sometimes has disagreeable effects. It 
: comes, however, at a time when Asparagus is almost the 
I only vegetable; and, if properly treated, is much better — 
! being free from the strong flavor of asparagus. 
I The old stalks should be cut off close to the ground, 
! early in the spring, and a hill about 6 inches high made 
' over the stool. When it begins to make its appearance at 
i the top of the hill, the earth should be removed, the young 
shoots, then perfectly blanched, cut off, and the hill re- 
stored. In this slate it has very little taste ; and is per- 
fectly tender. 1 have used it for many years, and it is 
generally preferred at my table to asparagus or sea-kale. 
Dyspeptics may eat it with entire impunityu 
■ Here is a good vegetable, quite neglected in the country, 
I where it comes at a time when greens are very scarce, 
; and is to be found in the greatest abundance in the fence 
I corners and turning rows. Then, if suffered to grow up, 
U is a nuisance; atidfiom its large woody root, hard to 
extirpate. By blanching it and usnig it as a vegetable, it 
is turned to gopd account; and frequently cutting weak- 
ens the roots, making it much easier to extirpate, when it 
becomes necessary to clean up the turning rows. 
Y’our obedient servant, N. Brewer, 
[in An’erican Fanner. 
l^^’YIemory, who can escape it 1 No sorrow, or sigli 
or bitter heart-wound can be forgotten or entirely healed. 
We may seem to fo'get for a time, and our lives may 
glide on in apparent tranquility, but in some unexpected 
moment, a word or look may stir the long silent chord of 
memory', bringing back each painful event and even 
thoughts to the mind, and causing a dull leaden pain, as 
difficult to bear as the first shar]) agony. ‘A wounded 
spirit, who cam bear V Tis hard, yet how many of earth s 
children are suffering in silent, uncomplaining sorrow 
[ from an inward wound I 
