5 
, “Frost-proof Cabbage Plants” 
Among “Brevities,” page 1384. this at¬ 
tracted my attention: “ ‘Frost-proof cab¬ 
bage plants.' That, is what some Southern 
dealers are offering. Is there any such 
thing? We say no!” This point is of 
such vital importance to growers of early 
cabbage that it vk-ould be thoroughly un¬ 
derstood. 
Undoubtedly under certain conditions 
cabbage plants can be grown that will not 
only withstand light frosts, such as would 
be disastrous to tender vegetables, but 
even severe freezes, without damage. In 
fact, it is the general practice in the 
trucking sections along the Atlantic coast 
from Norfolk southward, to plant cab¬ 
bage for the early crop in late Fall or 
early Winter. The land is usually thrown 
up in ridges, and the plants set on the 
south side near the base for protection 
from rigorous north winds. During spe¬ 
cially trying seasons like last Winter 
much of the crop is lost, but the success 
of average seasons justifies Hie practice. 
The cabbage plant is so constituted that 
when soft and watery by reason of rapid 
growth, such as might be secured in a 
well-conditioned hotbed, it is injured by 
frost almost as readily as tender plants 
like tomatoes; but when properly hard¬ 
ened off, or grown in cool weather, or 
even in warm weather on poor soil or 
with scant moisture supply, in fact any 
condition that produces a hard stem and 
tough, leathery leaf, will make the plant 
immune from serious damage even during 
quite severe freezes. This being the case, 
the growing of cabbage plants commer¬ 
cially for shipment has become a .business 
of considerable importance at certain 
points in Georgia and South Carolina, 
and probably other States, especially on 
the islands along the coast, protected 
from severe temperatures by surround¬ 
ing waters. 
The seed is sown in the Fall, in open 
ground, acres in extent at some points. 
The plants grow slowly through the mild 
Winter, sometimes being injured more or 
less in foliage during severe weather, and 
occasionally frozen outright, as happened 
with the greater portion last Winter; but 
wnen mild weather returns the disabled 
plants perish outright, and the rest speed¬ 
ily recover, and when Spring comes usu¬ 
ally millions of plants are shipped from 
these points to points North and West, 
where they are planted as early as the 
soil may be prepared, with fair assurance 
that they will not be subjected to lower 
temperatures than they withstood where 
grown. In appearance such plants would 
not compare at all favorably with bright, 
shapely plants ’.hat may be grown in hot¬ 
bed and cold-frame, but if they are good 
stock and the period after planting should 
prove cold and frosty, they would prove 
superior. It is possible that . combina¬ 
tion of weather conditions might greatly 
impair the frost-resisting qualities of 
these Southern plants. For instance, if 
warm, moist weather should prevail for a 
period in early Spring in the section 
where the plants are grown, and force 
rapid, soft growth, while the distant acres 
that are to receive them are icebouud by 
a late season, naturally much of their 
frost-resisting quality would be lost. 
Doubtless these Southern-grown plants 
at a moderate price are a great conveni¬ 
ence and profitable to many growers, but 
personally I think every trucker and gar¬ 
dener greatly increases his risks when he 
depends on someone else to raise his 
plants, and the South has no monopolv 
on frost-proof cabbage plants. Most 
growers know how to produce them fairly 
frost-proof by hardening hotbed-grown 
plants in cold frames. In a large way 
this is rather laborious and expensive, 
but apparently very few are aware how 
readily thoroughly frost-proof cabbage 
plants may be had in northern latitudes 
by wintering plants over in frames cov¬ 
ered with board shutters, instead of sash, 
in severe weather. When living near 
Harrisburg, Pa., I wintered them by thou¬ 
sands in that way. The seed wac sown 
about September 15, and the plant, set in 
cold frames the latter part of November. 
The plants were usually set very close, 
three in a bunch, the buncliet two inches 
apart and in three-inch rows. This 
packed them quite close, more than 1,000 
plants per frame 3xG ft. As severe weath¬ 
er came on they were covered with shut¬ 
ters. With some care as to ventilation or 
uncovering during mild weather, they 
came out in fine condition for early plant¬ 
ing in the Spring. During mid-Winter, 
when the ground was frozen and the shut¬ 
ters covered with snow, there were weeks 
together when no attention was required. 
Not all varieties of cabbage plants are 
well adapted to wintering over. Early 
•Tersey Wakefield is well adapted, while 
that splendid new variety, Copenhagen 
Market, is said to bolt to seed under this 
treatment. d. l. habtman. 
Florida. 
Early Potatoes in Maryland 
I was interested in article on Irish 
Cobbler on page 1377. I wish to plant 
early potatoes next season, harvest same 
and plant late cabbage and mangel beets 
on same plot, for chickens. Is this feas¬ 
ible? I have considerable hen manure 
saved up under shelter, but hen manure 
alone I have found makes white potatoes 
grow into vines; no potatoes. Please ad¬ 
vise how to proceed to realize on above 
plan. Do you think I can, here in Mary¬ 
land, at the foot of the Blue Ridge, get 
two crops as above outlined, in one sea¬ 
son, on the same plot, about two acres? 
Thurmont, Md. j. H. p. 
In Frederick County, Md., I suppose 
TShe RURAL. NEW-YORKER 
that you can get the early potatoes plant¬ 
ed before the end of March, and it would 
probably be July before they are ma¬ 
ture enough to dig. Having good strong 
cabbage plants ready to set then, you can 
make the cabbages if the soil is heavily 
manured and well cultivated, but can 
hardly do much with the mangels, and if 
wanted for chickens you would better 
plant the whole area in cabbages. The 
hen manure will be all right for the po¬ 
tatoes if you will mix it about equally 
with acid pho sphate of the 16 per cent 
grade. Hen manure alone will give you 
an excess of nitrogen and top growth rath¬ 
er than tubers. But it would be better 
to get a good commercial fertilizer for the 
potatoes and use the hen manure on the 
cabbages. You can make a fertilizer by 
mixing dried blood and acid phosphate 
equally, and using 1,000 lbs. of this per 
acre for the potatoes. Whether your soil 
will be in condition to prepare and plant 
in March you know better than I do. 
Here we can plant potatoes in late Febru¬ 
ary, but conditions in your mountain 
country are very different. If you can dig 
early potatoes in July I can see no reason 
why you cannot make the cabbages if you 
use varieties like Fottler’s Brunswick 
and Early Drumhead. Use the fertilizer 
in the furrows for the potatoes and set 
the cabbages in the same rows and then 
spread the hen manure along the rows and 
cultivate it in. If the cabbages late in 
the Fall seem inclined to be slow heading, 
run a shovel plow deeply between the 
rows, cutting some of the roots and they 
will head more rapidly. w. F. jiassey. 
A Tree Tenement 
t Here is a tree that holds eight separate 
bird-houses. The picture was made before 
the tree leafed out last Spring, else the 
houses would be difficult to photograph. 
SALZER’S 
A SEED 
CATALOG 
(40 Pages in Natural 
Colors) 
A postcard will 
bring it. 51 
years* quality 
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whether "a pack¬ 
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IF IT IS ANYTHING IN SEEDS WE HAVE IT 
FOR FARM , GARDEN OR LA WN 
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“America’* Headquarter • for Field Seed*" 
Box 144 La Crosse, Wis. 
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The STORRS & HARRISON Co. 
Box 615, Painesville, Ohio 
The Tree Tenement and Its Bird Houses 
ihe most interesting fact is that this tree 
and its houses is owned by a city man, a 
bachelor, who lives alone on the corner 
of a big lot. This lot is all fixed up for 
the pleasure of the children of the neigh¬ 
borhood. There are all kinds of play¬ 
things, among them a miniature fort and 
a cannon fastened to it. There is a big 
slab of slate tilted on a table on which 
the boys and girls are privileged to draw 
pictures as their childish ideas may dic¬ 
tate. There is a tiny little lakelet, too 
shallow # to drown anyone, but the boat 
may swim around in it. There are other 
queer devices meant for the unrestrained 
enjoyment of the youngsters, and out of 
one corner of the lot grows this bird- 
house tree. No feathered tenant of the 
place is ever disturbed by the boys. The 
place bears the name of Camp Glory, and 
on every sunny day the Stars and Stripes 
float from a tall substantial staff set deep 
in the yard. j. l. graff. 
WANT TO KNOW 
Spinning Wheels Wanted 
I see occasional references to hand 
spinning wheels. Can you tell me who 
makes them or where they may be had? 
G. R. 
We know of no concern manufacturing 
these wheels now, and think many of 
them were made by local carpenters. If 
anyone knows of a factory or stock of 
these wheels we shall be glad to have the 
addresses. 
Sauerkraut with Milk 
Can you find a sauerkraut recipe that 
takes two tablespoonfuls of milk to so 
many pounds of cabbage? I have forgot¬ 
ten the amount of cabbage in this recipe. 
The sauerkraut is ready to use in two 
weeks after making. 
Are you having any speeches printed 
in the Record?” “No," answered Senator 
Sorghum; “I’ve decided that it’s a saving 
all ’round for me to throw them into the 
wastebasket myself .”—Washington Star. 
That s what Forrest Seeds are—tested and 
of known lineage, true to name. Our country 
location and low running expenses with no 
high priced catalogs, enable us to give you 
the best of seeds at very low prices. You 
can save 30$ eonsed your bill. 
Honest Seeds Square Dealings — Low Prices. Let us convince you. Write for catalog today 
FORREST SEEP CO,, Box 32, Cortland, N. Y. 
VI C K’S 
GARDEN /-JTTTUt'n' for_. 
an3 FLORAL O U 
ITS TREE ^ WRITE TODAY 
Several New Features. -s- 
Based on our experience as the ■> 
oldest mail order seed concern and largest - 
grower of Asters and other seeds in America. 
••oO acres and 12 greenhouses in best seed grow- \ 
iug section. Our Guide is full of helpful informa¬ 
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successful garden. Illustrates and describes leading 
Vegetables, Flowers, Farm Seeds, Plants and Fruits 
This book, the best we have issued, is yours, ab¬ 
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Ask for your copy today before you forget. 
JAMES VICK’S SONS 
39 Stone Street, Rochester, N. Y. 
The Flower City 
SEED CORN For Sale 
Golden Orange, Flint. Giant, Ensil¬ 
age, Yellow Pride. 95 bu. sacked. 
8peclal prices oncar lots. Order Ear¬ 
ly. Kerry Vail, New Millard, Orange Co.. M.T. 
Cuiael Plnuar Unliulled white is best. $< Bu. Sow now 
0WBBI UlOYBl A BLOOMINGDaLE, Sciikskctady, N Y 
HARDY ENSILAGE CORN GROWN IN PENNA.'S MOST 
FOR NORTHERN DAIRYMEN NORTHERN CORN BELT 
West Branch Sweepstakes and West Branch White Cap 
Yellow Dent, Grown by members of the undersigned As¬ 
sociation. All seed inspected by a representative of the 
Penn. State College before shipment. For prices write 
WEST BRANCH SEES CORK GROWERS' ASSOCIATION. Wtlliamaparl. Pa 
Have a Successful Garden^ 
Harris Seeds are used by the best market garden¬ 
er* because by careful selection and breeding we 
have wonderfully improved some varieties. Private 
gardens can obtain better results because all varieties are 
tested and the percentage that will germinate is marked on the 
label so you can tell iust how many will grow before you sow 
them. Harris is the Seedman who tells you the result of his - 
tests. Send for our free Catalog of Vegetable ,)L 
Field Anri Flnw<»r- ----- _ ^ 
and Flower 
Seeds — Find out 
about the Harris system 
and buy these superior 
seeds direct from 
our farms at whole¬ 
sale prices. 
JOSEPH HARRIS CO- 
Box 22 Coldwater, N. Y- 
Harris'Seeds 
Label on every Lot 
Tells how man 
will 
Grow 
According fo our tests 
98 percent 
of this seed germinates 
