THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
February 19. 
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down above, we will hardly stop to enquire, suffice it 
to say that this member of the Cabbage-worts is there; 
and as it is never seen in any soil or situation exactly the 
reverse, we may set down that the amount of calcareous 
matter necessary to perfect the tissues of a cabbage or 
cauliflower, is more than a peat bog, or similar place, 
has got to spare, and we are thereby led to believe a 
situation the reverse to that is the one best suited to it, 
other things being likewise favourable. Takiug, there¬ 
fore, a soil in which lime or chalk exists to a consider¬ 
able extent, and one, likewise, made rich by manure or 
other decomposed substances, we have before us a soil 
the most likely of any to produce this vegetable in the 
greatest perfection. 
Many writers have assumed the parent plant to be 
only an annual; but, at the early period it is seen in 
flower—the end of May—it can hardly be expected to 
be the production of that one season, but is the result 
of seed sown some time in the latter part of the pre¬ 
ceding summer. Somehow, however, cultivation has 
prolonged this period of existence, and cabbages sown 
in July or August do not run into flower-stem until the 
spring of the second year, provided the kind be good, 
and other things favourable; and it is one of the chief 
points in excellence to overcome the tendency some 
have to run to seed, especially if sown too early. We 
have seen Cape Brocolis prematurely go to seed in 
August; and we all know how apt forward cabbages are 
to “ bolt” in March, and cauliflowers a little later. The 
two latter, from a too great advance having taken place 
in the autumn, and the former from spurious seed, 
stunted growth, or some other cause, all of which ope¬ 
rate so alike, that nothing but a careful examination and 
acquaintance with the varieties in question, and the 
locality where grown, can determine the exact period 
when such things ought to be sown; and in writing for 
a public journal like The Cottage Gardener, of which 
the circulation extends far and wide, our duty is to 
point out the different treatment this and other vege¬ 
tables require in places some hundred miles apart. 
We have seen Brussels Sprouts, Savoys, and Curled 
Green Kale , sown in the middle of August and continue 
tlieir growth the whole of the ensuing summer without 
running to seed, though this was in the “ far north;” but, 
except in the case of Savoys, and the large Drumhead 
or Field Cabbage, which it is common to sow in Sep¬ 
tember, everything else intended for winter use may be 
sown early in spring, and perfected the same season, in 
the southern parts of England. Now, the Cabbage is 
no exception to this rule, because it, too, can be grown 
in the time alluded to, and even less; but the well- 
directed skill of several generations of cultivators have 
so changed the habit of this plant, that it is now made 
to stand the winter when of a good size, and perfect its 
growth in the spring, provided the seed be of a good 
variety, and other things favourable; and one of the 
points of a good cabbage is the property of standing a 
hard winter when half-grown, without prematurely 
running to seed in spring. Another point is the quality 
ot the production, which, in a spring cabbage, ought to 
be tolerably firm, and when cut through perpendicu¬ 
larly, the stalk ought not to show itself as advancing 
! any distance inwards; and the leaf-stalk ought to be as 
small as possible, and quickly develope itself into those 
I beautiful and intricate webby portions of the leaf, which 
alone constitute the eatable part of the cabbage. 
We need hardly add, that besides the “first cut,” its 
after produce ought also to be good, because a plant 
that is capable of resisting the temptation it has from 
its parentage to “bolt” in April, is not likely to do so 
until the return of that season again; the reason is 
obvious, and is in accordance with one of those beau¬ 
tiful laws of nature which we see exemplified every day. 
The seed of the cabbage, and others of its tribe, require 
some time to ripen, consequently, were the plant only 
to flower in July, as wheat and other cereals do, suffi¬ 
cient season would not be left to accomplish that task 
which nature had ordained it to do. It is true, specimens 
of the family will occasionally run off to seed as late as 
September, but that is only a proof that cultivation in 
that instance has not been able to restrain them for 
some weeks later, which it is in general able to do. 
Having taken a glance at some of the habits of this 
extensive and useful tribe of plants, let us proceed next 
to their culture, beginning with the Early Cabbage. 
This kind of cabbage proper to sow now, is not the 
same that we would recommend for standing the winter, 
and coming into use in April or May. Those suited for 
the latter purpose, ought to be hardy, compact, and early, 
rather than large, size being with them a secondary 
consideration; while spring-sown ones, not being always 
wanted to come in at the earliest possible day, may be 
of a larger kind, for there is nothing likely to occur in 
the season to mar their progress. We therefore say— 
sow some of the larger and finer descriptions of cabbage, 
of which the Spotboro and London Market are tolerably 
good. It is almost needless to say, they ought to be 
sown on a nicely-prepared bed or border; and if mild 
weather continues, the antidotes to slugs must be put in 
requisition, as we have so often recommended. These 
precautions are the more necessary, if the beds be mar¬ 
gined on one sitje by a box edging, which affords a 
retreat to these depredators in the day-time; but, as we 
last week gave the details of what ought to be now 
sown, we can only say, that in addition to what is there 
stated, some Walcheren Brocoli ought also to be sown; 
and ground must now be got ready to plant out Cab¬ 
bage plants that may have ‘stood the winter in nursery 
beds; but as our space is occupied, we must leave our 
further remarks until another opportunity. 
Kitchen-garden Sundries. — See that the Peas do 
not suffer from slugs, which the mildness of the winter 
has left as a legacy. Take advantage of a dry day, 
and stir the ground with a three-pronged fork (walking 
backwards) between the rows of Cabbages; Brown 
Dutch, ancl other Winter Lettuces, will also be improved 
by surface-stirring the ground in favourable weather. 
Attend carefully to Cucumbers, which stop when they 
have advanced any length. Those who have not 
turned out their plants into the places allotted them, 
ought to do so without delay, provided they have two 
or three rough leaves, and the bed prepared for them, 
with the prospect of maintaining its heat by after 
linings or other means. A porous compost, tolerably 
rich, is said to suit them best, and some years ago, peat 
was strongly recommended; but we have never been 
able to keep the plants in such long-bearing condition 
as when grown in good turfy loam, with a little (not too 
much) leaf-mould. We may give the inexperienced a 
hint by saying, that as Woodlice and other enemies are 
very likely to be concealed in such a soil, he must 
guard carefully against them ; and, after planting, make 
the hill around the plant line, and put a little coarse 
sand against the stem of the plant, and scatter some 
lime or wood-ashes over the hill a little way from the 
plant; it is not likely that tender insects will crawl 
over such obnoxious substances, and the plants will be 
safer. Continue to plant all hardy things, as the ground 
is in condition; and do not omit to get in all the Po- 
tatoes intended to plant as early as possible, and prepare 
the ground to plant out Cauliflowers early next month. 
J. Robson. 
STRONG DRINK IS RAGING. 
By the Authoress of “ My Flowers," Sc. 
It is scarcely possible to press too strongly upon the at¬ 
tention of the lower classes the degrading and mischievous 
