Of this vegetable two distinct crops are raised in every garden, while
many gardeners, by successive sowings and the use of several varieties,
have them fit for use constantly from early spring until fall, and
throughout the entire winter by storage. In the ordinary garden the
same result may be obtained by planting larger quantities of the early
and summer varieties, and cutting them as wanted for use, as most of
them will stand the whole summer without bursting or going to seed, and
by early fall some of the winter cabbage will be large enough for use.
EARLY OR SUMMER CABBAGES.--The seed for these should be sown
in a hotbed from the 1st to the 15th of February. As soon as the plants
are large enough to set out they should be given plenty of air, and
should be gradually hardened off until they are able to stand the cool
nights without protection; but they should not be allowed to freeze.
Treated in this way they will be ready for planting out as soon as the
ground can be worked. In making this sowing I would have it of two
kinds--some of a small, hard-heading, early variety, and about twice
as many of a larger-heading summer kind. These latter are described as
second early in the seed catalogues.
These early cabbages need very little care except to have frequent and
thorough cultivation, as they are comparatively free from insect pests
as long as they make a healthy growth. If attacked by the black fly or
green worm, they should be dusted with land plaster or slug shot early
in the morning, while the dew is still on them. The soil around these
and all other crops that depend on quick growth for their superior
qualities, must not only be cultivated, to kill the weeds, but must
be kept loose and well stirred, to admit the air to the roots of the
plants; it must not be allowed to lie heavy and packed after dashing
rains, but should be stirred up as soon as dry enough. The rows may be
as close as can be worked with the cultivator, say about three feet,
and the plants about one and a half feet apart in the row, or even
closer, if the variety grown makes but small heads.
LATE OR WINTER CABBAGE.--As soon as the ground becomes warm
in the spring, or early in May, a seed bed should be made and sown
with the late varieties of cabbage and celery, or the seed may be sown
in drills in the garden; the seed being sown in very thinly, so as to
produce plants standing about half an inch apart in the row. Where
it can be done, it is best to sow the seed in a special bed or cold
frame, where they can be watered and nursed to a good size by the time
they are wanted for planting. The Flat Dutch and Drumhead types are
the best for this planting, though many prefer the Savoys, claiming
a superior delicacy of flavor, on account of their having more leaf
surface to the number of ribs or veins; they are not, however, nearly
such sure headers, nor are they as good keepers when buried.
It is important to get the seed sown early, that the plants may be had
of good size by the middle of June, though they will make a partial
crop if planted as late as the middle of August. As these varieties
make larger heads than the summer cabbages, they cannot be planted so
closely; the rows should be 3 to 3½ feet apart, and the plants 2 to 2½
feet apart in the rows. These can be planted and grown between the rows
of early peas, corn or potatoes; but I would prefer to wait until the
first crop of corn be cleared off the ground, as it can then be brought
into much better condition. It adds greatly to the labor of harvesting
the first crop when the ground is so closely planted, and the soil is
apt to become hard and packed before it can be cultivated again.
When possible, the young cabbage plants should be set out directly
before or after a good rain, but if there is no prospect of rain, they
should be planted in the evening and a tincupful of water should be
poured in each hole before the plant is set in; then draw the dry earth
up around the stem and pack firmly around the plant; this will enable
them to withstand at least a week of dry weather. If the drought should
continue longer, or they do not come up fresh in the morning after a
flagging day, they must be watered in the cool of the evening, when
the plant will have the benefit of the water all night. It is waste
of time to water them while the hot sun is shining, unless they can be
shaded with papers, old pans, etc.
As soon as they become well established, the soil around them must be
carefully loosened and cultivation begun. To obtain the best results
they must be cultivated frequently and deeply. It is a common sight in
some gardens to see the cabbage with stems two feet high and a small
bunch of wormy leaves at the top; a closer examination will show that
the soil is hard and trampled, and that the plants have been left to
grow as best they may, while in the well-cultivated garden the stems
are short and the heads are large and solid.
The young plants of late cabbages are generally infested, while in the
seed bed, with a small black fly, which greatly checks their growth,
and sometimes entirely destroys them. These can be gotten rid of, or
better, entirely avoided, by the application of dry road dust, soot,
slug shot, or land plaster, dusted on the young leaves early in the
morning, while the dew is still on them; this should be repeated every
two or three mornings until the fly is exterminated and the plants have
grown to good size. When the plants have been set out and are nearly
ready to head, the green cabbage worm makes its appearance, and if fine
marketable heads are desired this pest must be destroyed. Many remedies
for this are given, most of which are ineffectual. It is best to
sprinkle well with tar water or alum water, taking care to get it well
down into the centre of the loose leaves, using an ordinary watering
pot for the purpose; if a garden syringe is at hand, it can be thrown
into the plant much better than by sprinkling. To make the tar water,
the tar is put in a barrel of water and well stirred; then, when it
has been allowed to settle, the water from the top is dipped off and
used. It should be strong enough to have quite a decided taste. The
alum maybe dissolved in the watering pot, about one tablespoonful to
the gallon, and stirred till dissolved. See that the solution gets well
into the centre of the loose leaves just below the head, as this is the
favorite place of attack by the worms.
The cabbage is quite hardy and will stand considerable frost in the
fall without damage, being rather improved in quality by it. By the
third week in November they should be put in pits or the vegetable
cellar; or, where these conveniences are not at hand, they should be
pulled up, root and all, the outside leaves wrapped closely around the
head and stood side by side, on their heads, on a well-drained piece
of ground; they should be placed in a long row two or three heads
wide, and where a good many are to be buried or gotten out at once,
two additional rows may be placed on top of these, as shown in the
illustration.
[Illustration: FIG. 1.