The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-07-06

get showery weather for putting out the | plants at the proper time Late cab | bage plants can not stand a long drouth and hot winds and suns. Some seasons when our showers are frequent there will I be but little trouble in growing the late 1 cabbage, but when we have a continued hot dry fall. the crop will be almost sure failure.
 The best soil for this crop is a deep, rich one, with a good stiff clay subsoil which will retain moisture. The soil should be broken deep and made very fine; all dry, sandy soils should be avoid ed The land should be made very rich and the best fertilizer for this crop Is l stable or barnyard manure. This should | be broadcasted over the soil and well worked in. Cabbage hardly ever amounts to much unless fertilized very heavily. In addition to stable manure, nitrate of soda may be used at the rate Of 100 pounds per acre This should be appli- ed broadcast just prior to working; so we see that the conditions necessary for success in growing fall cabbage are good soil, well fertiiized and seasons favoring the crop, as well as planting and cultivating at the proper time.
 The question of when to SOW the seed Is one hard to determine. Then again, 1t is hard to determine ahead whether 1t is best to SOW the seed on beds and water or to SOW the seed in hills where the crop is expected to grow. All these matters that depend entirely on circumstances, if we could only know what the weather would be far enough ahead we could easily determine this matter. But as we cannot know this we have to take our chances. We would be more certain in securing plants by sowing on beds and keeping the beds well watered and shaded, but the trouble comes in here of getting a season to transplant the .a-~l.k han fnn plants grown this way are tender and when transplanted must have several days of cloudy, rainy weather or they will not live. They can't stand the change from protected beds to open fields unless there Is an abundance of moist ure in the soil There Is only the one great difficulty in planting the seed in hills where they are wanted to grow. and this is that if our weather should prove to be very hot and dry, the hot sun Is likely to kill the young plants. But takirsc everything under considera- tion, I think I should prefer taking my chances by sowing the seed in hills. This may be done at any time during the month of July, owing largely to the variety used. We have. at least, four months in which to grow this crop. allow ing that the seed are sown to the first of August. I have seen no weather here in this district that would injure or pre- vent cabbage from growing up to De- cember, and we are more than apt to have even a part of this month favora- ble for growth. It Is frequently said that cabbage will not grow after our cold fall weather sets in. This Is great 1 mistake for where there Is moisture. If the crop is kept regularly cultivated they will grow right along Then too. this will depend largely on the varieties used We have sorts that will stand great amount of cold and not be injured, while other sorts would be entirely de- stroyed by our cold snaps.
 Planting the Seed.
 After the land has been thoroughly pre- pared, as mentioned above, mark off t..S land in check rows three feet apart each way; where the lines cross make fine hills, and plant from six to ten seed in the hill (not necessary to be precise in this), and with the feet or back of the hoe press the dirt firmly on the seed. AS soon as the plants are up, hoe around them and commence to thin out; but this work of thinning should not commence too early, as the sun may kill out part of the plants before they get strong. But as soon as the plants are well rooted they should be thinned. The thinning can be done as the plants grow. Finally, at the last thinning, leave one good strong plant in each hill. As stated late cabbage should have plenty of room, not
 
 planted this way in check rows, they may be cultivated each way with horse cultiyators and thus dispense with large amount of hard work with the hoe. But where only small garden plots are planted, of course, the hand hoe should be brought in regular use. Where the crop is grown for market, 1t should be done on a large plan and as cheaply as possible, for the grower will have to come in competition with the Northern crops, which are shipped South In great quantities during our fall months; so the question as to whether or not 1t will pay to grow this crop, is one that will leave for the grower to decide, 1t being only my object to give such instructions as will enable the grower to succeed. I will state however that where there is so much land idle, that any crops that can be grown ought to pay and pay well.
 Varieties.
 Now this question of varieties is one that should be well considered and a wise selection made. Fortunately we now have some varieties which are well adapted for standing hot and dry weather as well as cold weather The best of these Qf any difference at alb Is Danish Ball Head. Autumn King and Hollander; of these varieties. I should prefer a good genuine strain of the Hol- lander. grown by responsible grower. When use this strain, grown by my old grower, I never have any trouble in se- curing fine heads. This Hollander varie- ty is the hardest known variety of late cabbage and will stand more hard usage, bad weather, insects. cold, etc., than any variety I have ever found. I can most heartily recommend this variety for our Southern growers to grow in late fall and early winter. The stems of this variety are rather longer than those of other sorts. The heads are medium in size. and are. perfectly solid. I fully believe that if seed of this variety were sown as late as the first week in August that they would make fine heads in early fall; so I would say to those who have been making failures of the larger sorts try the Hollander Such varieties as the Large Late Drumhead and Large Late Flat Dutch are too tender for our or dinary seasons, and while these are fine sorts. the growing of them is attended with too much uncertainty when we have others which are so much more certain.
 Then. we can plant some of the quick making, early sorts such as Early Sum- mer, Early Flat Dutch and Fetlers Early