The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1874-07-23

mus, although CduudSc 10 INV ~
tious as clover, yet the large amount OF
water it contains makes it valuable 100
der for winter when given in dry 1ood,
and it contains very small portion OF
crude, indigestible matter. 1t IS, now
ever, considerably more nutritious than
turnips. The carbohydrates consist
mainly of starch and gum. These sub
stances are largely consumed in the res
piratory process and help greatly -
maintain the natural heat of the animal.
As winter food, therefore, the cabbage
is seen to possess high value, being SUI
perior to turnips and only slightly interi-
or to clover. From our own experience
with it we consider it the very best food
for ewes previous to and after lambing,
as it causes large flow of milk; ana
also far better than turnips, because no
cutting is necessary and there is no dan
ger of choking. The same advantages
apply to it as food for milk COWS. For
it's culture considerable previous prepare
ton is necessary, and for crop for next
season it is not too early now to begin 10
prepare the seed-bed. One great advan-
tage of this crop is that succession
may be grown and an early crop may DC
ready for use in August, at which time 1t
will be found of the greatest value Tor
cows that are in milk For this early
crop the plants must be grown IN the
fall and wintered over in cold frames.
The bed for the plants should be
chosen in a dry, warm, sheltere9
place, and the soil should be carefully
dug over with the spade or the fork, ana
made fine and mellow, and rich with
well-rotted manure. For each acre OF
crop bed of two square rods will be
sufficient, upon which space one pound
of seed should be sown. Drill sowing
will be found more convenient than
broadcast, as it will he necessary to keep
the bed clear from weeds and the hoe can
be used between the drills. The seed
should not be sown until the end OF
August or early in September. We have
found the large drumhead the best for
this early crop, as it is very hardy and
upon rich ground comes forward quickly
in the spring and grows to large size.
Heads weighing twenty pounds and over
are not uncommon in a field of this
variety. When the plants are about four
weeks old it is best to transplant them to
the spaces between the drills, by which
they are checked in their upward growth
and make more stocky plants with more
spreading roots. The frames may be
made by placing boards upon their edges
between the rows, about four feet apart,
and mailing strips to hold each pair OF
boards together. The strips may De
nailed about three or four feet apart, and
loose boards laid between the strips to
complete the covering. The loose boards
may be removed during the days when
the weather is not too severe, to give
light and air to the plants. Upon very
cold nights straw or coarse hay may DC
heaped upon the frames for protection.
The ground for this crop may be corn
or oat stubble plowed in the fall and ma
nured we'll with ten to twelve two-horse
loads of fine manure directly upon the
plowed ground. The soil and manure
should be mixed by thorough harrow
ing or working with the cultivator, and
then lightly cross-plowed and left rough
until spring. In spring, as early as pos,
sible, the ground should be narrowed
level and marked out into rows three
feet apart. A dressing of 200 pounds OF
fine bone-dust, superphosphate OF lime,
or guano spread in the rows will be found
of great benefit. The plants should ne .s
set out two feet apart in the rows, and ii
troubled with the flea they should he
busted over with fine, dry-slacked lime
or SCOT. Clean cultivation is needed. A
later crop may he made from plants sown
in a hot bed in March and planted out in
Nav and June. For this crop we have
found the early Winningstadt an excel
lent variety, and growing to q good size.
The late crop will be raised from seed
sown in an open bed in May and planted
out in july, and the Marblehead mann
moth or the drumhead are probably the
hest varieties. If piece of clover sod
can he plowed and well MANFRED early in
this month, it will pay to purchase plants
from the seedsmen if they have moi
been prepared at home. A good clover
sod turned under has yielded US an ex'
cellent crop, and we have also raised
good crop by planting cabbages between
the hills of corn and working them with
the hoe. For these late crops and such
a catch crop as that raised with corn We
have found Peruvian guanO or fish guane
the best fertilizer. With small hand
fful of fish guano with every plant W.
have raised some good cabbages in
corn-field; but where piece of grount
can be specially devoted to them 1t viii
be found the best, although where 1t can
not he had we would by all means rails
what we could in every available spot
either with the corn or in vacant space
amongst the potatoes. Over 1000 plant
may be raised upon an acre, and It b.
careful cultivation and liberal manurin
heads Of an average weight Of six pound
only are grown there will be twenty ton
. OF most excellent and healthful fodde
, Such q crop is by no means beyond th
. range Of probability where the prope
, attention is given. We know OF fe'
! crops which return greater value K
i | the labor expended, and it is one whic
stands heat and drought better than tn
} nips and equally well as mangles.-
j ! Amsricas A0riewleurtst.