The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1909-06-15

[ am using this letter to redeem my
promise to tell about growing winter
cabbage IN the South. You say that
you want them to head in October
This IS earlier than you can head them
we'll in your climate, and if YOU could
they would not keep for winter Early
December is as early as you should
have the cabbages head anywhere Tex
CRpt in the mountains south Of Nir-
Ginia. Failures in growing winter cab
bage in the South have been due, in
the first place, to starting too early
and taking the Northern directions for
sowing in spring and carrying the
rlants through the summer, and in the
second place, to lack of water during
the growth of the plants.
In the first place, the soil must be
suited to the growth of the late crop,
q soil more inclined 10 clay than sand.
or q strong clay lOam that will re-
tain moisture we'll. Then it should be
thoroughly ploWed and manfred and
prepared. for, while collards may grow
in any sort Of soil and with little ma
nuring, cabbages want a fat soil, and
YOU cannot get them in any other. |
would plOW the soil deeply after put
ting as much manure broadcast az /
could fairly turn under. On land not
full Of humus / would SOW an early
variety Of peas broadcast and, would
turn them under the last of August
and harrow in a dressing Of lime, for
You do not need to set the cabbage
plants till September. / would add
to the manure 500 pounds per acre
Cf acid phosphate, and with this and
& heavy coat of manure you will need
no potash for cabbage on your red
land.
Now, as to the plants. The best
plan is to burn a bed down near a
branch, where water is handy. Burn it
as you would for tobacco and fertilize
it we'll. Sow seed of the Premium
Flat Dutch cabbage, in rows in the
bed about the first Of August. Now
see to it that the plants never suffer
for lack of water. If the weather is
Cry. water them well daily, keeping
the soil continually moist, for YOU
want them to grow rapidly 50 that you
San have strong plants ready to set
s-unted in the bed, you will make
small cabbages. After setting in the
f@ld keep them growing rapidly by
rtpid cultivation, for on the rapidly
lG the growth depends much Of the
Success On soil naturally moist and
L-tNily nlanured you can actually
axe them grow faster than the green
caterpillars can eat them. But at the
same time you should be ready to 1gnt
the green worms Paris green, mixed
one part green to so parts of flour,
can be used until the plants begin
to head. But after heading begins
rather prefer to dispense with the pols-
on. Then dust the cabbage over with
alr-slaked lime in which little salt
has been mixed, say one part OF sait
to 40 parts Of lime. If rain washes It
off, renew it. The lime and the salt
will both agree with the cabbage. /
have kept the plants white with TINS
mixture in my garden in Raleigh, ana
had hardly a worm hole in the CAB
bage.
If well grown and well cultivated
up to the first of Decent Der, the can
bages, should begin to head, and II
they are slow in heading take small
ploW and remove the mold -bOrd ana
run the plOw deeply between the rows.
This will check rapid growth by cut
ting some of the roots and will throw