274. Of the common white cabbages there are many subvarieties, some of which are preferable for a summer crop ; others for an autumn crop ; and a third set, for win ter supply. The Small early dwarf, Large early York shire, Early dwarf Yorkshire, Early Battersea, and Early sugar loaf, are generally preferred for summer use, and are ready from May to July ; in some early situations, even in April. The Imperial, Large sugar•loaf, Hollow sugar-loaf, and Long-sided, are excellent for autumn use, and also, in private gardens, for the winter crop. The Large drum, the Scots and the American cabbage, resist the severity of winter, and grow to a large size ; but they are better suited to field culture and the feeding of cattle.
275. Very few remarks on the kinds of close cabbages seem requisite. The Long-sided is also called Large sided ; it is an excellent sort, but rather tender, so that it should not be sown till May, nor planted out till July. The Scots cabbage is much cultivated in cottage gardens in Scotland; it grows to a large size, and is seldom affected by the severest frost. The drum is named from its flat ness at top, resembling the head of a drum : it is also called White Strasburgh, and of it• chiefly the Germans make their sour-krout. The American also grows to a large size, and lasts good till a late period in the spring. The Musk or perfumed cabbage is almost lost, being pre served only in a few private gardens. A small firm cab bage, called the Russian, has also become rare, being very apt to degenerate in this country : it is the least and most humble of the cabbages, but it is hardy, quick of growth, and pleasant to the taste. The French gardeners describe a crisp-leafed early kind, which cabbages in forty days ; so that, if planted out in the last week of March, it is ready for cutting in the first week of May.
276. In sowing cabbage-seed, a rich, light, open spot is selected ; a covering of earth from an eighth to a quar ter of an inch is sufficient for all the brassica tribe. The time of sowing for the early or summer crop is the be ginning of August of the preceding year. In about six or eight weeks, or when the plants have got several leaves, they are thinned, and the plants taken out are pricked into beds at three inches distance every way ; in this way the transplanted seedlings grow firm and shapely, and keep short-stalked, which is a great property, while those left in the seed bed get more room to establish themselves.
Some part of this crop is finally planted out in October and November, and the rest early in the following spring. The plants are set in rows between two and three feet wide, and at least two feet asunder in the rows. Some gardeners, indeed, plant their earliest cabbages considera bly closer in the rows, perhaps at fifteen inches between the rows, and eight or nine inches between the plants in the line. This is done merely with the view of securing a full crop; by cutting every second cabbage in April, the others are allowed to have room to come to larger size. By market-gardeners, winter spinach is often sown where the summer cabbages are planted ; and when the spinach is cleared oil' in April, there is thus a crop of cabbage on the ground, which is encouraged, by stirring the earth and drawing it around the plants. These operations, it may be remarked, are not to be omitted in any of the cabbage rows. Indeed, the oftener the ground is stirred, the bet ter is the crop. In the end of April, or beginning of May, the early cabbages naturally begin to turn in their leaves, and to harden in the centre. Some gardeners then bind the leaves close with willow twigs or strands of bass-mat, so as to produce a degree of blanching in the middle ; and they are thus a fortnight sooner fit for use.
277. The seeds of cabbages for autumn and winter use are sown in the end of February, or beginning of March,„. If pricked out into shady borders in May, and allowed to remain there for some weeks, they form more compact plants, and are less apt to have long stalks. In June they are finally transplanted, at the same distances as the early kinds. If the weather prove dry at the time of transplant ting, they are watered every evening till they have again taken root. These cabbages come to be fit for use in the autumn months, and they continue good, in sheltered situa tions, and in ordinary seasons, till February or 'March. To preserve them from severe weather, some market gar deners trench a piece of ground in ridges in November, and lay the cabbages as close as possible on one side in the trench, covering the stems with earth : the outer part of the more exposed side of the cabbage is generally in jured, but. the inside remains sound.