THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION.— October 7, 1S5G. 
8 
out, and tbe largest pricked out into beds prepared for 
them ; about six inches apart will do. This pricking-out, 
however, is not required, except for those which have to 
stand the winter before finally planting out where 
they are to remain. The ground for this purpose, as 
well as for the beds, ought to be a rich loam, rather stiff 
than otherwise, and, as we have shown the Cabbage to 
be partial to a chalky soil, lime or chalk will be useful 
ingredients in its culture, while iron or irony matter 
will be distasteful. The spring sowing of such as it 
is desirable to hasten on ought to be made on tbe dry, 
sunny border of some wall or other warm place, taking 
care, as above, that the soil is good, as the Cabbage is a 
gross feeder. 
Final Planting-out.*— -A good, rich, loamy soil that 
has been cultivated tolerably deep is necessary to pro¬ 
duce this plant in perfection, and if it be not rich 
enough naturally, let some good dang be trenched in, 
and if the situation be a very dry one, manure-water 
ought to be given at times during the growing season. 
The distances apart may be two feet eacli way for the 
first section, and two and a half for the others. An 
open situation is indispensable for the main crop; but 
if tbe first plantation, i.e., those that are sown in July, 
were accommodated with a warm border, they would 
sooner arrive at maturity. In planting out Cabbage it 
is a very good practice to draw drills with the hoe, same 
as for French Beans, and along these the plants may be 
inserted at the proper distances, taking care, in planting j 
with the dibber, that the hole first made is completely 
filled up. It is proper here to observe, that very 
wet weather in autumn is not the best time to plant, 
as the ground becomes so soddened with the treading 
on as to be unfit for the plants’ prosperity. Dry weather 
at such a time is, therefore, necessary, while in summer 
advantage must be taken of such showers as fall at the 
proper time to plant out the different crops, the precise 
time being regulated by the size of the seedling plants 
and other things; but should the weather be very dry, 
with little appearance of a change, it is better to plant 
out at once and water a few times than wait too long 
for rain. A dull day is best for planting. This 
is the timo to water if it be required, and discon 
tinue it, if possible, afterwards. The first crop will 
usually be ready to plant out the first w r eek in September, 
and if so, do not delay it, as it is, after all, the one most 
valued. 
Farthing-up and General Treatment. —This is ex¬ 
ceedingly simple, but it is, nevertheless, often neglected. 
The general earthing-up ought not to be done too early, 
but the ground may be stirred as often as possible in 
dry weather in winter; and, if dry winds loosen the 
plant at the neck, let it be fastened again. Sharp frosts 
often do this, so that it is necessary to look over late 
plantations after a thaw sets in, and secure the plants; 
and never allow the ground to get hard and baked over 
tbe roots at any time, as it prevents that due admission 
ol air so necessary to fertility; and in earthing-up take 
care not to allow the ridge to assume a sharpened top, but 
a wide, half-closed one, and it is better not to do this 
until the plants are getting too large to allow the plaiu 
stirring ot the surface any longer, and then earthing-up 
may be carefully done. 
Cutting the Crop. —This is often carelessly done, 
and in some cases a wilful,but not an intentional, injury 
is caused by breaking the large leaves that ought to re¬ 
main on. This ought not to be done, as the presence of as 
many ot the leaves as possible is necessary to nurse the 
future crop of shoots. The size at which to cut the 
Cabbage will be determined by the wants and tastes of 
the family; but, in a general way, old, full-sized ones 
are not so much esteemed as those younger. 
Insects and Casualties. —There is a great difficulty 
I iu securing the seedlings from the attacks of the turnip- 
fly in some places; also, slugs and various other insects 
prey on them while just germinating. A good rich 
soil, to which some lime has been added, is a partial 
remedy, and a few dustings of soot, given as soon as 
they are expected to appear above-ground (not waiting to 
see a great quantity, as they may be almost gone then), is 
a good thing; but the slug is at all times a sad enemy to 
them. Next to that is a sort of weevil, which attacks 
them at the root, causing a kind of globular enlargement 
to take place. This, if observed at the time of plantiug, 
ought to be nipped off, and, in a general way, tbe plant 
recovers. It is very good practice to dust the injured 
part with hot lime, to cauterise it. But, perhaps, the 
worst enemy the Cabbage has to encounter is the cater¬ 
pillar, which, in some places and seasons, renders the 
whole summer crop of shoots useless, by riddling them 
through and through. This pest is best kept down by 
the cottager, who sets his children to pick them off in 
the evenings, which is, however, a tedious operation.for 
the large grower, and it is difficult to effect a cure on a 
large scale. Usually a thunder-storm thins them much ; 
no doubt they are unable to endure the electricity the 
air is then charged with, otherwise no rain hurts them, 
as they have the means of securing themselves against 
that, as well as against sunshine, which they dislike the 
most. Then there is the surface-grub, the larva of a 
moth which eats through the stem of young plants just 
below the surface of the soil. Dipping the plants in a 
puddle of soot and lime checks these vermin ; but, when¬ 
ever a plant is destroyed, dig round it with a knife until 
the grub is found, and insert another plant. 
J, Robson. 
THE POTATO DISEASE. 
Much has been said, from time to time, as to the Potato 
crops, some saying that the disease to which they have been 
of late years unfortunately so much subject is less pre¬ 
valent this year than it has,in general, heretofore been, and 
others stating that it is even more severe than usual. I 
recollect that the Brighton Gazette said a short time since, 
the Potato Murrain was so bad in Sussex, that the stench 
of it had compelled some of the cottagers to abandon their 
dwellings ; which I felt at the time, and still hope and trust, 
was devoid of truth, or, at any rate, a monstrous exaggeration. 
I should like to inform you of what I hear in this neigh¬ 
bourhood, and know myself, on the subject. 
“ I will a round unvarnished tale deliver, 
Nor set down aught in malice.” 
Several people have informed me, and I have found it true 
in my own case, that the Potatoes dug in immediately 
after the very dry and warm weather we experienced in the 
early part of last month (August), and before any rain had 
fallen, were uniformly sound and good, but those dug after 
the rain were more or less diseased; in many cases, half 
or more bad. This, if it proves anything, shows that a wet 
season contributes to the calamity, which I am inclined to 
believe. 
It has been remarked, too, and I found it true in my own 
case, that the disease did not, as it does in general, com¬ 
mence in the stalks, which, in several instances this year, 
showed no symptoms of disease, whilst the roots turned out 
to be strongly affected; and the early kinds, which have 
hitherto enjoyed the greatest immunity, were this year 
equally, if not more, affected than others. 
Allow me, now I am on the subject of the Potato, to 
mention a remark made to me at the planting time, and I 
have heard it from more than one or two persons, who 
questioned the wisdom of my method of planting whole 
sets, and I shall be much obliged by your opiuion on it. 
They say that it is a means of producing more in number 
in a root, but they are invariably small, whilst the plan of 
cutting the Potato down to one eye or two always produces 
the larger tubers. What say you ?—T. M. W. 
[We prefer planting whole tubers of medium size of every 
kind. From such sets we always have had the heaviest 
