26 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
July  11,  1885. 
is  needed  as  of  phosphoric  acid.  Stable  or  farmyard  manure 
contains  the  requisite  amount  of  these  elements,  hence  ground 
for  Cabbages  should  be  well  manured,  and  the  more  decayed  it  is 
the  more  suitable.  Fresh  manure  means  rank  growth,  abundance 
of  leaves,  and  little  heart.  The  ground  need  not  be  dug  deeper 
than  1  foot,  and  it  is  best  done  with  a  fork,  so  as  to  break  up 
the  soil  finely  and  evenly,  for  the  better  the  tilth  the  greater 
the  certainty  of  the  delicate  fibres  penetrating  and  permeating 
it  in  all  directions. 
Cabbage  does  well  after  any  crop  except  a  Brassica  or  cruciferous 
one.  I  have  found  it  do  better  after  Onions  than  any  other, 
excellent  results  being  had  after  Strawberries,  also  in  succession 
to  Peas  or  Beans  ;  but  all  the  wonderful  nitrogen-gathering  power 
of  these  never  avail  much  in  kitchen  gardens — indeed,  they  take 
more  out  of  the  land  in  the  shape  of  nitrogen  than  any  other  crop 
I  have  grown  ;  at  least,  I  could  never  grow  either  Peas  or  Kidney 
Beans  to  satisfy  the  demands  of  the  kitchen  and  the  exacting 
appetites  around  the  dining  table  for  these  vegetables  without  more 
manure  than  any  other  crop  required.  If  Cabbages  follow  Peas 
manure  the  land,  and  see  that  time  is  given  for  it  to  get  well  soaked 
through  with  rain  before  planting.  ^ 
As  regards  site,  early  Cabbages  do  fairly  well  on  warm  borders 
provided  the  soil  never  lacks  moisture^  It  is,  however,  a  very 
hardy  plant,  and  loves  daylight  and  fresh  air  as. much  as  a  Daisy — 
that  is,  an  open  situation  ;  but,  for  early  supplies,  a  sheltered  one. 
It  hates  shade,  this  matchless  vegetable  (in  its  season)  does,  even 
that  of  a  wall,  always  growing  away  from  pne,  and  never  thriving 
within  half  the  distance  of  its  height.  Of  course,  walls  are 
meant  for  growing  fruits  ;  then  why  stock  vegetables  within 
half  their  height  from  them,  and  where  they  will  neither  do  good 
for  themselves  nor  the  fruit  trees?  Cabbages  want,  and  must 
have,  light  and  air  to  grow  sturdily  and  produce  hearts  with  few 
outside  leaves  (these  containing  about  half  as  much  nitrogen  as 
the  hearts).  That  is  one  reason  why  field-grown  are  better 
than  leafy  garden-grown  Cabbages. 
But  there  is  no  reason  why  garden  Cabbages  should  not  be 
richer  than  field  ones  in  nitrogen.  It  is  simply  a  matter  of  culture 
— of  getting  the  nitrogen  of  the  soil  into  the  plant.  This  is  easily 
done  by  having  the  soil  comparatively  firm,  as  it  is  in  fields,  and 
giving  every  plant  the  full  benefit  of  light  and  air.  The  plants  in 
fields  are  never  crowded — every  one  has  just  sufficient  room  to 
develop  its  outer  leaves  fully,  without  encroaching  or  being  en¬ 
croached  on  by  its  nearer  neighbours,  and  it  profits  accordingly, 
whilst  there  is  not  any  waste  of  ground. 
The  sowing  of  the  seeds  should  also  be  on  firm  soil,  but  not  of 
alley-like  firmness,  for  that  is  going  to  the  opposite  extreme  to 
looseness.  If  in  good  heart  the  seed  bed  is  better  without  manure. 
I  find  the  bed  into  which  Celery  was  pricked  off  and  that  had  been 
put  in  the  trenches  answer  well  for  Cabbage  seeds.  It  is  rich,  and 
may  be  full  of  Pythium  De  Baryanum  resting  spores,  as  leaf  mould 
or  other  vegetable  matter  has  been  used  for  the  Celery  ;  hence  it 
is  just  as  well  to  apply  a  dressing  of  quicklime,  say  a  peck  per 
rod,  and  point  it  in  lightly,  or  about  3  or  4  inches.  The  nitrogen 
of  the  vegetable  matter  must  unite  with  the  lime  ;  in  fact,  this 
eats  it  up,  and  we  get  nitrate  of  lime  and  potash  into  the 
plant.  Mark,  without  the  lime  we  are  sure  to  get  the  nitrogen, 
and  possibly  the  fungus  as  well  in  the  shape  of  “blackleg”  in 
many  of  the  seedlings.  That  depends  again  on  circumstances) 
for  the  fungus  cannot  grow  anywhere,  but  where  the  plants  are 
too  thick  and  the  atmosphere  at  the  exact  point  too  moist  and 
stagnant,  as  in  a  Mustard  and  Cress  box  sown  too  thickly  by 
ten  times. 
Let  the  ground  be  in  good  working  order  for  seed-sowing,  firm  it 
over  once  with  the  feet  if  newly  dug  ;  if  has  laid  a  time  make  level, 
and  sow  the  seeds  on  the  fine,  even-raked  surface  thinly  ;  suffice  if 
the  plants  come  up  from  half  to  an  inch  apart.  Cover  about  half 
an  inch  deep,  not  more,  nor  less  than  a  quarter  of  an  inch,  and 
make  even,  beating  lightly  if  rather  lumpy.  The  ground,  if  in 
good  working  order,  will  be  neither  wet  nor  dry.  That  is  just 
what  seeds  delight  to  germinate  in — enough,  not  too  much  nor  too 
little  moisture.  If  dry  apply  water  before  sowing,  using  moist 
soil  for  covering,  and  if  dry  weather  follows  water  as  required  to 
insure  germination  and  the  steady  progress  of  the  seedlings.  1^ 
fly  causes  trouble  dust  with  quicklime,  which,  with  watering,  will 
keep  the  plants  safe.  When  the  weather  is  wet  slugs  come  and  feast 
on  the  plants,  and  they  must  be  prevented  by  dusting  quicklime 
on  the  seed  bed  late  in  the  evening.  The  plants  will  come  up 
strongly — just  rear  the  cotyledons  above  the  soil  boldly,  and 
from  between  these  push  a  true  leaf,  which  also  will  be  sturdy, 
and  soon  after  another.  The  plants  may  then  be  lifted  carefully, 
and  pricked  off  in  a  bed  similarly  prepared  to  the  seed  bed  about 
3  inches  apart,  inserting  them  up  to  the  seed  leaves,  closing  the  soil 
firmly  about  them,  watering  and  shading  from  powerful  sun  until 
re-established  if  necessary. 
Now  have  the  land  manured  and  dug,  it  being  better  to  let  the 
air  get  into  it  for  a  few  days  and  become  ameliorated  and  settled 
before  planting  than  to  plant  in  freshly  dug  and  very  open  soil. 
During  the  first  fortnight  in  September  the  plants  will  be  fit  to  set 
out,  and  it  must  be  done  before  they  get  cramped  for  want  of  room 
in  the  nursery  bed.  Perhaps  the  land  is  more  or  less  foul  with 
slugs  and  grubs.  There  is  always  something  of  that  sort  to  con¬ 
tend  with,  and  they  hate  lime,  soot,  and  salt ;  take,  therefore,  equal 
proportions  by  measure,  and  use  1  peck  of  the  mixture  per  square 
rod  a  day  or  two  in  advance  of  planting.  If  wood  ashes  are  avail¬ 
able  use  only  half  the  salt  in  the  mixture,  and  give  a  peck  of  wood 
ashes  as  an  extra  dressing  per  rod.  Lift  the  plants  carefully  with 
a  trowel,  plant  with  that  up  to  the  lowest  leaves,  making  the  soil 
firm  and  giving  a  good  watering.  Setting  out  in  moist  weather 
saves  watering,  and  done  with  a  dibber  gets  the  work  over  sooner  ; 
but  bear  in  mind  that  the  less  roots  the  plants  lose  the  sooner 
they  will  take  to  the  soil.  But  some  persons,  miscalled  cultivators, 
merely  pull  up  the  plants,  stripping  off  all  the  active  feeders, 
and  stick  them  in  a  bole  with  many  prods  at  the  stem,  and 
wonder  the  plants  lose  many  of  their  leaves  or  why  so  many 
plants  fail. 
If  there  is  any  trouble  with  slugs — I  do  not  mean  after  the 
plants  are  put  out,  but  before,  in  the  mind  of  the  observing  and 
thinking  person — and  any  difficulty  in  getting  the  materials  named, 
kainit  at  the  rate  of  31  Ibs-  per  rod  may  be  used  instead.  Nitrate 
of  soda  must  not  be  applied  so  late  in  the  season,  for  it  only  causes 
succulent  growth  for  the  frosts  to  injure  or  destroy.  The  plants 
should  be  set  18  inches  apart  for  the  lesser  growing  sorts,  or  if  to 
heart  early  3  inches  less  in  the  rows.  The  larger  sorts,  and  to  form 
fine  hearts,  should  be  placed  in  rows  2  feet  asunder  and  18  inches 
distance  in  the  rows,  or  such  as  Enfield  Market  be  given  2  feet 
distance  every  way.  Keep  the  ground  clear  of  weeds  by  hoeing 
when  these  are  in  the  seedling  state,  and  when  the  ground  is 
fairly  clean  of  them  earth  up  the  plants,  drawing  the  soil  to  the 
stems  all  round  or  on  two  sides,  not  burying  the  leaves,  but  giving 
them  or  the  plants  the  benefit  of  the  steadiness  such  imparts 
against  winds,  which  ruin  no  end  of  spindly  plants. 
Attention  in  liming  or  sooting,  as  required  to  keep  invading 
slugs  in  subjection,  will  be  all  the  care  needed  in  winter,  and  in 
spring  growths  can  be  encouraged  by  top-dressings  of  fish  guano 
and  soot,  keeping  down  weeds,  and  if  dry  giving  copious  supplies 
of  water  or  liquid  manure  between  the  rows,  this  and  the  guano 
(about  3i  lbs.  per  rod)  being  kept  from  the  plants,  soot  also  not 
being  allowed  to  get  into  the  hearts.  Nitrate  of  soda  may  be  used 
in  March,  or  late  February  in  the  south.  If  lb.  per  rod  being 
sufficient,  and  it  must  be  kept  from  the  hearts  and  off  the  outer 
leaves  of  the  plants.  A  peck  of  soot  per  rod  is  sufficient,  or  if 
Peruvian  guano  be  used  If  lb.  per  rod  is  ample.  Sometimes  the 
plants  need  and  sometimes  they  do  not  need  these  stimulants. 
Judgment  must  be  exercised  in  this  as  in  other  matters,  and  then 
the  essential  properties  of  the  British  Cabbage  will  be  had  in  full 
measure. — G-.  Abbey. 
