Early in the spring, this species is preferred to those that are cultivated; but, when gathered on the sea-coast, it is requisite that it be boiled in two waters, to deprive it of its saline taste. The roots may be eaten like those of the preceding species; but they are by no means so tender. All the various kinds of garden-cabbage in use at our tables, originate from this. The red cabbage is chiefly used for pickling. In some countries, the white cabbage is buried in autumn, when full grown, and is thus preserved during the whole winter.—See Withering, p. 592. They are cut in pieces by the Germans, who, mixing them with some aromatic herbs and salt, press them closely down in a tub, where they soon ferment, and are eaten under the name of sauer kraut.
Dr. Darwin observes, that Sea-Cale is much esteemed for the delicacy of its taste, which is superior to most kinds of broccoli. It appears that this species of the cabbage should be sown the latter end of March, or the beginning of April, in drills, and afterwards earthed up. In autumn, it should be transplanted into high beds, one row of roots in each bed, about a foot asunder; and, in winter, it should be covered up. The beds should be made in dry ground, and the produce will not be fit for the table till the third year after sowing. The year before it is cut for eating, it must be covered in the beginning of winter, first with stable-dung, which may be prevented from pressing on it, by placing a few sticks in the form of a cone over each root; it should then be covered with long litter, to the height of two or three feet. About the beginning of January it may be gathered, and the cutting continued till May, one bed being kept under another. It should be boiled, and sent up on toast, like asparagus.
To this species also belong those varieties of the brassica, denominated the turnip-rooted cabbage, and the drum-headed cabbage. The former is generally supposed to; have been brought from Lapland, and is found to be well calculated for uplands and wolds. It delights in a dry, sandy, mixed soil, which is prepared in the same manner as for turnips. The seed is usually sown in the beginning of June, and yields so abundantly, that half a pound of it, if sown on a seed-bed two or three perches square, will produce plants sufficient to stock an acre. But if they run too much to stalk, care must be taken to transplant them, and thus to check their luxuriant vegetation. This plant is very hardy, and its bushy tops furnish a most excellent and abundant food for cattle during the spring. It is principally raised for feeding oxen, cows, hogs, and horses; but, if given to sheep during winter, it occasions a species of white flux, of which however, they soon recover on a change of food; and which is seldom, if ever, attended with any dangerous consequences.
The drum-headed cabbage is usually sown on a bed towards the end of February or March; but sometimes also in August, in which case the plants are set out in November, and transplanted in July. A hardy variety, of a deep green colour with purple veins, and of the same size as the drum-head, has been produced from this cabbage, by planting it alternately with the red kind; and, when the pods
