The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1874-04-09
Choice Varieties of Cabbage.

The culture of the cabbage as a field
crop is now a leading interest in sections
of country easy of access to manufacture
ing towns, large cities, and all through the
mining districts. Where there is demand
for eabbages in quantity it is one OF the
most profitable crops that can be grown.
A brief description of few of the leading
kinds for early and late planting may be OF
some avail to those who have not had
much experience with this particular crop.
The market gardeners of New Jersey still
place the Jersey Wakefield at the head OF
the list for early planting, it is so far une-
qualed for uniformity III heading, size, and
quality. When properly grown it will
yield third more profit on a given space
than the OXheart or any other variety
ripening at the same time. Second on the
list of good kinds for an intermediate crop
may be placed Early Flat Dutch, some
times called Philadelphia Flat Dutch.
This variety produces large flat head on
short stalk, with a leaf of fine texture
and prominent fleshy veins. Forming
link between the early and late it will head
more evenly under the same culture than
the Early Winningstadt, and in quality
will be found far superior for table use.
Although Flottlers Brunswick will make
larger heads it is coarSer and not as uni
form in heading. For late planting of the
main crop there is no variety that have
tested that will equal in size, firmness, and
that will head as uniformly as the pure
Premium Flat Dutch. This variety takes
the same position among cabbages that the
Bartlett does in pears. the Baldwin in APP
pies, Concord in grapes, and Wilson
among strawberries. When grown on rich
ground it will give large, flat, and eX-
I'll fnfV
their firm texture when cut from the stalk
and trimmed of its outside leaves. This
makes it favOrite with hucksters. The
best way to keep the seed pure is for each
grower to select from his crop the best
formed and perfect specimen heads to raise
seed from. Among the new kinds more
recently introduced and recommended for
general culture may be named the Marble
head. For four successive years | have
carefully experimental with this kind,
planting from 1000 TO 1000 plants each
year on ground regularly prepared for fall
cabbages. From this experience ] can now
state that the Marblehead has with me
proved almost worthless, inferior by far to
any of our old late sorts. Early last July
| planted 5000 Marbleheads alongside of
an equal number of Flat Dutch. Both lots
had the same treatment all through, the
ground was good and properly cared for.
At the close of the season. when it came
time to pull and bury, nearly all the Flat
Dutch were headed, while four-fifths of the
others were fit only for cow cabbages, and
had to be used for that purpose, big,
coarse, loose bundles of leaves that would
need two more months to finish growing.
The seed of the Marblehead cost me $40
pound, while the Flat Dutch cost only
third as much. A neighbor who grows
cabbages for market tells me that his eX-
perlence with the Marblehead is about the
same as mine. OF the curled sorts the
Drumhead Savoy is one of the best both
for home use and market purposes. To in
sure full crop the ground should be rich,
and the plants set but week or two earlier
than the smooth leaved heads. For my
crop of this family usually get s. to Sl0a
thousand more than for the Flat Dutch,
but of course the demand is limited, and it
would be an easy matter to overstOck the
market. Large Early Schweinfurt is one
of the new German varieties, and is by faI
the largest early sort that / have grown.
The heads when matured and of full size
will weigh from 20 to 30 pounds apiece. It
is not popular among dealers, for no mat
ter how solid the head may be when cut
ormarket, if left exposed on the huckster's
or grocer's stands for two or three days,
the heads wilt so badly as to become un-
salable. On this account dealers buy spar
ingly of this kind.-P. T. Quinn, IN ~ Y.