Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1852-05-27
VOL. ".
Agricultural.
Cabbages ms n Field Crop for
GfnnE

stock.
This, 10 an American farmer, who new
er thought perhaps of growing over one
hundred a year, which were carefully
preserved for table use, will sound like
some new and strange doctrine. Yet
such has been for years the practice of
many excellent farmers in England,
Scotland, Belgium and Holland. The
advantages claimed. and as we think
justly, in favor Of the practice. are, the
immense amount of food that can be
grown uponan acre-the ease with which
il can be cultivated, saved and fed in
winser-its succuleEt qualities, which
render it fully equal to summer pastur-
nge for milk cows or sucking ewes
while its nutri,ive qualities have been
amply proven by analysis and practice.
The following statement Of its nutriiive
value is from the Mark Lane Express
COMPARATIVE NUTRITIvE VALUE OF
AN ACRE OF CABBAGE WITH OTHER
CRoPs.-The cabbage has lately been
chemically examined, in consequence of
the failure of the potato with view 10
its substitution for tina, root. Ii is found
to be richer in muscle forming mater
than any other crop we grow. /, con.
sains more fbrin or gluten, of which
substance the muscles are made, and
hence is richer in the material essential
TO the health, growth and strength OF an
animal; wheat contains about IL per
cent. of it; beans 25 per cent; bu. dried
cabbage contains from 20 to 40 per cent
Of this all important material, of which
the principal mass Of the animal struc.
ture is built.
"An acre of good land will produce
20 tons Of cabbage; one acre of 20 tons
Of drum-head cabbage will WELD l.soO
lbs. of gluten; one acre of Swedes tur
nips will produce about 80 tons, which
will yield 1000 lbs. of gluten; one acre
of 25 bushels of beans, will yield 400
lbs. of gluten; one acre of 25 bushels of
wheat will yield 200 lbs of gluten; one
acre Of IL tons of potatoes, will yield
$50 pounds of gluten. Such is the va
ration in our general crops, as to the a.
mount Of this gluten, this special kind of
nourishment. this muscle sustaining prin-
ciple, which accounts for the preference
given by experienced farmers 10 the cab
bage as food for stock and milk cows, al.
though the crop impoverishes The land,
which requires much manure 10 restore
i,to former fertility"
The last part of the statement, we do
not fully agree with; for we do not be.
liese crop of cabbage is any more ex-
hausting to the soil, although i. is Of the
manure, than any other heavy crop Of
quick growing Vegetation. True. the
land must be rich. or il will not grow
cabbage to any advantage. Its value O.
yer Swedes or English turnips is not on.
ly shown in the excess of production.
but in the nusritiye quality of the food.
An experienced farmer observed sarcas.
tically in speaking of the comparative
value of the two crops, that if he had
an oyerplus of hay which he was anx-
ious TO have his cattle consume, il would
be desirable to feed turnips, just to en-
courage, not 10 satisfy the appetite. This
was rather severe upon crop which has
done so much 10 improve English hus-
bandry within the last half century,
Valuable as turnip culture has been in
England. we think the culture of cab.
bage may be made more valuable in this
country. 1t fourishes best in mois,
rich soil, such as reclaimed swamrs; j,
smore hardy than the turnip's incipien,
growth; and at stage when whole fields
OF turniPs are liable to be swept off by
the fly, cabbage plants enough TO set an
acre can be effecsually protected under
few panes of glass;. or yard or two
OF gauze in frame in the garden.
In the early stage of growth the cab.
bage requires careful cultivation, most of
which however may be done with pillow
and cultivator; as soon as the leaves ex.
pand and shade the ground, weeds are
effectively prevented from growing en-
ough TO injure the crop or PROPAGATE
their own seed. This leaves the field
in as fine condition for the next crop as
could be desired. Some cultiyators al.
waysgrow crop of peas upon the same
ground that is to have crop Of cabba-
ges in the fall. This may be done if
the land is naturally rich, aud well coat
ed every year with manure, and deeply