Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1888-01-12
VALUE OF KoHL-RARl

now 70 Uttlixe Vegetable Long Consld.
ered vaiaeIess In This Country.
About thirty years ago the National
Department. of Agriculture imported
from Germany and distributed through
the mails small packages of the seed OF
this vegetable, with brief directions for
planting and cultivating. Many sowed
the seed and raised the plants. Nc
use. however, was made of them. As
vegetable curiosities they attracted
some attention in the gardens where
they were raised. and they helped
swell the number of vegetables some
market gardeners exhibited at fairs.
1t was generally believed that the kohl
rabi was cross between the turnip
and the cabbage. and it was the COM
mon belief that the union resulted, as
Charles Lamb said the mixture OF
brandy and water did. lin spelling
two very good thiags" When the
vegetable with a curious German name
ceased to be a curiosity its cultivation
ceased. 1t was mentioned, described
and illustrated in the catalogues OF
seed merchants. A few packages OF
the seed were sent out in the boxes re-
ceived by country grocers. but as a
rule none of them were sold. Farmers
knew of no use to put the plants to
when they were raised. and they did
not rank high as things of beauty.
Most market gardeners in the vicin-
ity of large cities raised this vegetable.
which was bought in unlimited quanti-
ties by Germans and Scandinavians. A
few people from the north of Europ,
raised the plant in their gardens and
used them as substitute for cabbages
and turnips. Some stated that the
kohl-rabi was superior to either of
these vegetables rs IN ingredient in
soups. A few years ago it was report
ed that the consumption of kohl-rabi
was increasing in Eastern cities. and
that Americans had learned to eat it.
At last the compilers of cook-books
gave recipes for cooking it. Still kohl
rabi did not appear among the vegcta-
bles on the bill of fare on any fashion
able hotel or restaurant in the country.
None thought that it was great &C
cession to our list of garden products.
1t was not raised as a field crop for the
most obvious reasons. 1t was noticed
by the few who raised them that cattle.
sheep and pigs would eat the leaves as
they did those of the turnip. but that
they generally rejected the enlarge
ment of the stem. which was said to
be the most valuable portion of the
plant and the part that was put to use
in foreign countries.
1t appears that an agricultural col.
lege may be good for something.
though many seem to doubt it. In
the organ of the institution of man.
haitian. Kan. Prof Shelton gives an
account of his success in
raising kohl-rahi the past season. He
planted about half an acre of this crop
and the yield was nearly ten tons.
The field where it grew attracted at
ton all summer The plants resisted
drought better than any thing planted
on the place. When the soil was rs
dry as road dust. the air like that over
a desert. and no rain for weeks. the
stalks of kOhl-rabi fOurishcd and made
\ large growth. II the plant has any
insects enemies none put in an appear
ance. Cattle ut first did not appear to |
relish the new kind of food. but rs
soon us they became accustomed to it
they ate it greedily. 1t is too early as
vet to form an estimate of the nutri-
tious value of the new crop. Foreign
chemists state that the kohl-r;,bi is
equal to the best varieties of turnips.
The crop is said to be quite extensively
raised in Sweden. Denmark and
Northern Germany as food for mich
cows. Unlike turnips. it communicates
no bad flavor to milk.
Turnips have never been very exten.
'ively raised in most parts of this
for stock food. The climate
It the West and South is not favorable
o the crop that succeeds SO well in
he British islands. Our summers are
90 hot and dry for turnIps. The
,ield is not large and the roots are
likely to be hard and stringy. Cab
pages have been raised TO some extent
or feeding to stock, but since the in
reduction of the European cabbage in
ect their cultivation has been neg.
ected.N The climate of the Southern
states is too hot and dry for cabbages.
md there is difficulty in raising them
n all parts of the country. The kohl
abb is said to be easy to keep during
he winter. If it will thrive during a
drought and has feeding !
alue equal to that Of the turnip it
possesses great merit. II it can be
aised in the South and ON the great
lains where the rainfall is slight it will
rove to be boon to cattle and sheep
wners. The great trouble in raising
tOck in these regions is the difficulty
, obtaining good food after the mid
le of summer.