The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1900-07-10
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NOTES OF THE FARM. ;
BY W. +. MASSEY, of A. & M. College.
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~WiU you please advise me as to
what is the best kind Of cabbage TO
pIaut for spring sales and what is
.a,. RIGHT time to sow the seed, and
~ hen they should be set out. Would
Hike. TO have all the information YOU
cam Give on the culture OF cabbage
and lettuce. have never planted
amy cabbage and do not know any
lhin@ about their culture.'
The chances are always that
man who has never grown early cab
laoes. and whose land has not been
used for trucking, and therefore has
not been heavily fertilized, will at
rhe start make comparative total
failure. Farmers who have been ac-
cuStOmed to common methods of
growing farm crops seldom realize
that in the culture of garden crops
success generally depends on the
amount Of preparation and fertiliza-
ZION. \ dressing Of manure or fertil-
iIer that may pay on a cotton field,
would simply be thrown away or Il
field of cabbages. In fact no land.
no matter how apparently rich and
highly improved. on which vegetab
crops have never been grown. can be
expected to give the maximum crop
mt once 1t takes some wears of heavy
fertilization and skillfuI culture to
get the land into condition for the
production Of the best crops. and in
the sharp competition now prevailing
ian the gardening business the best
crops are the only ones that pay
We'll These pay so We that there
is much encouragement for men OF
energy to get their land into the con-
djtion needed for the best results.
For the early cabbages. the nature
OF he soil is more important than
for most other crops. \ deep sandy
soil seldom produces the best cab
uageS. Neither is Il low and Wet soil
suitable, for on that soil the winter is
100 severe. \ mellow red clay upland
t.. about the best for the essrll-~eroE
OF cabbages. The preparation Of the
land is the most important thing.
II stable manure is available, there
is nothing better for the crop. and II
should be put on as heavy as Not
can fairly plow~ it under. The plOW-
ing should be done in the early fal
months. September and October. anC
the suhsoil ploW should be run II
cterv furrOW so that the clay below
may be broken to a depth of - inches
This will 90 far towards preventing
The reavin0 of the soil during the
winter. But even with the best o
preparation and manuring. the OrdI
nary soil cannot be expected to pro
duce the best results the first year i
is used for truck purposes. Heavy
annual fertilization and the growing
Of peas on other recuperatlve ant
humus making crops after the earl,
rrucl, is off. viii be necessary to ge
me soil into that high condition O
tjth necessary for the production O
tEc best vegetable crops. Hence yo'
aeed not be surprised if after the beS4
81 preparation and the most laviSl
fertilization YOU do not get the maxi
mum crop the first year. Success II
trucking comes only from persist
crlt effort and the intensive manurin!
AVID cultivation Of the land. Our peo
pie who have not been accustomed t
lhe way market gardeners pile on TIL
fertilizers and manure, often fan be
cause of lack of money spent on
mail area. We are so prone to wan
10 90 over a large area, and be bi
uot realize what can be done by II
1ensive work and spending on a sma.
area.
The best cabbage for your use IS
GOOD strain Of the Early Jersey Wake
field. There are several strains @
the Jersey Wakefield. and the on
known as the Charleston Wakefield
* the largest head. but rather late
1han the regular stock of Wakefield
1t is not always the largest head
that sell the best | have found tha
well headed Waketields that make
10 the barrel sell better than thoS
OF larger size, as they are better &c
retailing, since they can be sold &c
less each.
KS 10 the time for sowing the see'
| would always make two sowing
one about the middle of SeptemDt
and another about the last OF tt
month. If the season is favorable an
me plants keep growing, the III:
planting may grow too large be1ol
rT'Id weather., and may be apt TO rl'
10 seed in spring before heading. W
want a good strong plant, but n.
am oYergrOWn one, as the cheek
1ransplanting such will have tel
dehcy to make them run to seed.
would SOW the seed in fairly fertl
NoIl and in rows where they can |
cultivated, and do not SOW them
lhch that they will be drawn U
'on@ legged. Having the land we
prepared the planting should
E"a@ about the first of November.
curing that month. In addition
me heavy broadcast coat of manur
%Hn should use in the furroWs abo
nan Il ton per acre Of Il high graz
itF'IllZer and on that. and then ora
ne ridges up sharply WITH a hoe. X,
me rows east and west so that IL
"I'h'N can be set on the south Sl'
CT the ridges. If YOU have no manul
'NeH use ton Per acre of fertilizt