Show SOIL FOR CABBAGES Cool Moist Loam With Abundant Abundant Abundant dant Supply of Nitrogen Vegetable Is Grown More Or Less Leu Successfully Successfully Suc- Suc From Tropics Semi-Tropics to Arctic Circle In Alaska Cul Alaska Cul Culture ture by I Irrigation By E. E n. n BENNETT Colorado Agricultural Agricultural Agricultural tural Con College gc Cabbages have been grown for tor forborne home borne consumption since the early sett settlement set of this country About 1880 the potato buyers of the Greeley district district district dis dis- found there was a considerable demand for cabbage in the southern markets and that they could be shipped shipped ship ship- ped satisfactorily In the same cars with potatoes From that time the industry has gradually grown till the output is now from to 1000 cars per year The soil soll best adapted to the growth of ot the cabbage Is a cool moist loam An abundant supply of available nitrogen nitrogen ni nl ni- ni trogen tends to promote leaf growth at the expense of fruit or seed As the edible portion of cabbage lettuce let lettuce tuce etc is the leaf rather than tho the seed an excess of this element in the soil soll Is beneficial For this reason the bottom land or peaty lands are re generally generally gen gen- considered best f for r cabbage Nearly any of ot the soils of this state however will grow cabbage successfully successfully success success- fully 1 If sufficient decaying vegetable matter and manure are added to put them in good condition and to provide the necessary fertility None of the horticultural products have a wider range as to climate than the cabbage This vegetable Is grown more or less successfully from the tropics semi to the arctic circle in Alaska When grown in the south It must be planted so as to mature before before be be- fore the extreme heat of summer This is also true to a less degree In the northern states Much of the land used for cabbage growing Is considered too valuable to rotate in the usual way If alfafa sod is used the land may be sufficiently fertile to produce a crop without the addition of manure In most cases however cabbage follow cabbage on the same soil soll for several years After the crop is taken off oft In the fall tall the plow Is run under each row turning the old stumps and leaves of the cabbage under This leaves the surface rough so as to catch the snows of winter and exposes more o of the soil soll to the action of the frost If manure is to be applied it Is generally generally gen gen- spread on this land during the winter In the spring before the soil sol becomes too hard and dri dra dr the harrow harrow harrow har har- row Is run over the tract lengthwise of the furrows which smooth the surface sur stir face down to its original level Following Following Fol Fol- lowing 10 this the ground Is plowed to toa toa toa a depth of from eight to twelve inches Seed must be sown sown from six to seven weeks before it is desired to set the plants in the field The time of setting early plants necessarily varies I somewhat with the season For early i cabbage the first seed are sown from March 1 to 16 15 At least two sowings I should be made to avoid danger of accidents accidents ac ac- ac- ac and a possibility of the first plants becoming too large before the weather will permit setting Seed for early cabbage are sown either In fiats flats in a forcing house or in hotbeds If sown In fiats flats the seedlings seedlings seedlings seed seed- lings soon begin to crowd and are pricked out of the seed flats fiats as soon soon as the first leaf appears In this operation operation op op- op- op the plants may be put into other other other oth oth- er fats one inch apart each way or orthey orthey orthey they may be put into hotbeds or cold cole frames If the seed are sown in hotbeds hot hot- hotbeds beds the seedlings are not generally transplanted at all till time to set setin setin setin in the field In this case the seed must be sown more sparingly or th the young seedlings must be thinned so as not to crowd Young plants either In Inthe Inthe inthe the forcing house or or r hotbed are apt to be tender and are very susceptible to a disease known as off damping fungus This trouble Is the result of a too high temperature not enough fresh air or too much water When plants are grown In the forcing house or of hotbed great care must be exercised exer exer- to properly harden them off oft before before be be- fore setting in the open ground In Inthe Inthe Inthe the forcing house this Is done by keepIng keeping keep- keep keeping Ing the temperature low and giving all the ventilation possible when the weather will permit If It the hotbed is used the sash may be first partly removed and later taken off oft during pleasant weather Properly hardened harden harden- ed plants will endure temperatures of from ten to twenty degrees below freezing point after setting in the field If not properly hardened off exposure to freezing temperature often proves fatal For late planting the seed is usually usual usual- ly sown in the open ground If large largo fields are to be planted two three or even four sowings are made The first seeding is made about the of April with th the others following at Intervals In In- s of about seven days Few crops are more particular about water than the cabbage Although it itis ItIs Itis is a n gross feeder it will soon eoon wilt and stop growing 1 If the soil Is dry and andon andon andon on the other hand if the land becomes water-logged water the plants will turn yellow yellow yellow yel yel- low and stop growth The frequency and number of irrigations then depends depends depends de de- on the character of the soil and the amount of rainfall If soils sons are light and gravelly gravell with good under under under un un- un- un der drainage the irrigations must be frequent and there Is little danger of over |