Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1905-01-25
HOW TO RAISE CABBAGE.
An Experienced Man Discusses The Subject In
Common Sease Way.

The writer of this article is the
originator of the cabbage growing
industry on the Carolina coast.
grew my first cabbage for the market
in the year 1868, from beginning Of
one-half acre. The business has in
creased until at the present time
there are over 1000 acres of cabbage
grown each season in this territory.
TO grow successful crop the
first and most important thing is to
secure plants that are grown from
high grade seed, as no amount of
care, fertilizer or cultivation can
make a good crop if the plants used
are grown from inferior seed. You
cannot judge from the appearance of
the plant, as all young cabbage plants
look the same. Your safest plan is
to purchase your plants from re-
sponsible dealer who has been i'm the
business long time and who has All
established reputation. The better
class of seed growers select their
stock very carefully, removing from
the field all heads Of cabbage that are
not perfect. Some seasons they have
to cut out two-t thirds of their plants
and do not save their seed from more
than one-third. Seed selected in
this way will cost from $3.50 to SO
per pound. Other seed-growers al
low their entire crop of cabbage to
make seed, and do not use any care
in the selection of seed grown. These
seed will cost you from 40 to 60
cents per pound. The cost of the
seed is two-thirds the cost of grow
ing cabbage plants, 80 you can readily
understand why plant grower who
pays $3.50 to S3 for his seed cannot
sell you plants as cheap as the
grower who buys inferior seed at 40
to 60 cents per pound. My thirty
six years experience has proved to
mo that it would pay me better to
use high grade seed at cost of $40
per pound than to use inferior seed
if could get them free. Those
who do not make regular business
of growing cabbage have been in the
habit of setting out their plants in
the months of February and March,
thinking that the plants do not live
If set earlier in the winter. This is
mistake, az plant set in December
or January, under the proper cond-
tlons, will live just as well and head
much earlier. The following instruc-
tions will give the proper method of
setting: The South Carolina sea
coast, on account Of locality and cli-
matte conditions, is admirably ad-
apted to the growing of hardy open
air plants. The plant growers SOW
their seed in the open fields in the late
fall from October 20th to November
18th. These seed germinate quickly
and make a very rapid growth for a
couple of weeks. BY this time the
nights start to get cold. The growth
of the plants is checked, and usually
about December lst to 10th our freez-
ing weather begins, when the plants
stop growing entirely. The cold
weather has caused il to become
tough and hard. 1t is now in dor
mant condition and will remain in
this condition until the latter part of
February or until spring weather
opens up. While in this condition
these plants will stand cold without
injury. | have seen my plants
covered with ice and sleet for several
days, with the thermometer down to
Is, and not be injured at all, while
the same plants, If they had been in
thrifty growing condition and full
OF sap, would have been killed by a
heavy freeze or slight frost. To
avoid the danger of losing your
plants you want to buy them while
they are dormant. The sooner you
do this after December 18th the bet
ter.
If you have it, select piece of