CABBAGE. 
55 
It is customary with gardeners about New-Yoik to raise 
their plants in hot-beds. In order to do this, the beds should 
be prepared, as directed in a future page of this book, (see 
Index,) so as to be ready to receive the seed by the latter 
end of February, or early in March. Plants thus produced, 
as well as those raised as before directed, will be fit to trans- 
plant about the middle of April, and should be carefully 
planted, with a suitable dibble, in good ground, from sixteen 
inches to two feet apart, according to size and kind : these 
by being hoed often, will produce good Cabbages in June. 
If seed of the large early kinds be sown in a warm border, 
early in April, they will produce plants fit to transplant in 
May, which will make good Cabbages for summer use* 
The seed of Red Cabbage may be sown toward the end 
of April or early in May, and that of Savoys and late Cab- 
bage in general, may be sown at two or three different times, 
between the middle and the end of May, in fresh rich ground. 
The most certain way of raising good strong plants in the 
summer season, is to sow the seed in a moderately shaded 
border, in shallow drills drawn three or four inches apart. 
One ounce of seed sown in this manner, will occupy a bor- 
der of about four feet in width by twelve in length, and pro- 
duce about four thousand stout plants ; whereas, if seed be 
sown broad-cast, as is the usual custom, two ounces of seed 
* As numerous species of insects attack plants of the Brassica or Cab- 
bage tribe, in every stage of their growth, great caution is necessary in their 
cultivation. For a jirevention to the attacks of fleas or flies, see page 19 
of the General Remarks. Perhaps the most effectual way of saving plants 
from grub-worms, is not to transplant any, during the month of June 
Seed beds are very seldom attacked ; but if they should be, they may be 
protected by digging trenches around them, and throwing in lime, salt, oi 
ashes, sufficient to prevent the ingress of the worms. If seed of the vari- 
ous kinds be sown at the times recommended, the early varieties will be so 
far advanced in growth before the grub-worms prevail, as to be out of their 
reach ; and by the time the late sown plants are ready to transplant, the 
worms will be harmless, because they turn gray toward the end of June, 
and by the middle of July, the time recommended for general transplanting, 
the danger from grub- worms is over. For the destruction of caterpillars, 
see General Remarks, page 20. 
