Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1876-02-09
AGRICULTURAL

CHOICE VARIETIES OF CARBAGE.-The
culture of the cabbage as field crop is
now leading interest in sections of
country easy of access to manufactur-
ing towns, large cities, aud all through
the mining districts. Where there is
demand for cabbage in quantity it is
one of the most profitable crops that
can be grown. A brief description of
a few of the leading kinds for early and
late planting may be of some avail to
those who have not had much expert
ence 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
unequaled for uniformity in heading,
size. and quality. When properly grown
it will yielda 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. sometimes called Philadel-
phia Flat Dutch. This variety pro-
duces large flat head on short stalk,
with a leaf of fine texture and promi-
nent fleshy veins. Forming link be-
tween the early and late il will head
more evenly under the same culture
than the Early Winningstadt, and in
quality will be found far superior for
table use. Although Flotter's Bruins
wick will make larger heads, it is
coarser and not as uniform i'm heading.
For late planting of the main crop there
is no variety that l have tested that
will equal in size. firmness, and that
will head as uniformly as the pure
Premium Flat Dntch. This variety
takes the same position among cabba-
ges that the Bartlett does In pears. the
Baldwin in apples, Concord in grapes,
and Wilson among strawberries. When
grown on rich ground it will give large.
flat and exceedingly solid heads, which
will retain their firm texture when cut
from the stalk and trimmed of its out
side leaves. This makes it favorite
with hucksters. The best way to keep
the seed pure is for each grower to Sc
lect from his crop the best formed and
perfect specimen heads to raise seed
from. Among the new kinds more re-
Gently introduced and recommended for
general culture may be named the Mar
blehead. For four successive years L
have carefully experimental with this
kind. planting from 900 to 4 900 plants
each year ON ground regularly pre-
pared for Fall cabbages. From this ex-
perience can now state that the Mar
blehead 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 a
pound. while the Flat Dutch cost only
a third as much. A neighbor who grew
cabbages for market tells me that his
experience 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 pur-
poses. To insure full crop the ground
should be rich, and the plants set but a
week or two earlier tnan the smooth
leaved kinds. For my crop of this
family usually get s5 to 10 a 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 far the largest early sort that l
have grown. The heads when matured
and of full size will weigh from 20 to
30 pounds apiece. 1t is not popular
among dealers, for no matter how solid
the head may be when cut for market.
if left exposed on the huckster's or
grocer's stands for two or three days,
the heads wilt so badly as to become
unstable. On this account dealers buy
sparingly of this kind.-P. T. O., Essec
Co.. v. j.