The Field and Garden Vegetables of America Part 66

The Green Curled strongly resembles, if it is not identical with, the Endive-leaved. When well grown, the plant measures about ten inches in diameter, and is one of the most beautiful of all the lettuces. The exterior leaves are finely frilled and curled, and of a rich, golden-green color; the central leaves are smaller, but frilled and curled like those of the exterior. When in perfection, the plants have the form of a rosette, and make an excellent garnish. The seeds are white.

It is hardy, well adapted for forcing, and is extensively grown in the vicinity of Boston, Ma.s.s., for early marketing. As respects its value for the table, it cannot be considered equal to many of the Cabbage varieties, as it is deficient in crispness, and tenderness of texture,--qualities essential in all salad plants. Its recommendations are its hardiness, its adaptation to early culture and forcing, and particularly its beautiful appearance.

Market-gardeners and cultivators make three sub-varieties, which are known as "Single-curled," "Double-curled," and "Triple-curled;" the difference consisting in the finer frilling, or curling, of the last named. A well-grown plant resembles some varieties of Endive; whence the term "Endive-leaved."

GREEN WINTER CABBAGE.

Hardy Winter Cabbage. Morine. _Vil._

Head pale-green, of medium size, round and regular, firm and solid; leaves of the head much wrinkled, and coa.r.s.ely blistered; the outside leaves are broad and large, glossy-green, wrinkled and blistered like those composing the head. Winter-grown plants will measure in their full diameter about twelve inches, and weigh from fourteen to sixteen ounces.

Seeds white.

The Green Winter Cabbage Lettuce is tender, and of excellent flavor, particularly if cultivated in cool weather. It is hardy, forms its head promptly and uniformly, is slow in the development of its flowers, and must be cla.s.sed as one of the best of the hardy, winter varieties.

HAMMERSMITH HARDY. _M'Int._

Hardy Green Hammersmith. Early Frame. Early Dwarf Dutch. Green Dutch.

A popular, old variety, with a comparatively small, dark-green head. The leaves are much wrinkled, concave, thick, and fleshy; the seeds are white. It is considered the hardiest sort in cultivation, and is one of the best for growing in winter or for forcing. When raised in spring, late in autumn, or in cool, moist weather, the plants attain a diameter of nearly ten inches, and weigh from six to eight ounces; but summer-grown specimens are much smaller, rarely measuring more than six or seven inches in diameter, or weighing above three or four ounces. In warm, dry weather, it soon runs to seed.

ICE CABBAGE. _Trans._

This variety belongs to the division of the Silesian or Batavian lettuces, and must not be confounded with the White Cos. The leaves are of a light shining green, blistered on the surface, much undulated, and slightly jagged on the edges, nearly erect, eight inches long, and five or six inches broad; the outer leaves spread a little at the top, but grow close at the heart. It blanches without tying up, and becomes white, crisp, and tender.

The Ice Cabbage Lettuce comes into use with the White Silesian, from which it differs, as it also does from any other of its cla.s.s, in being much more curled, having a lucid, sparkling surface (whence probably its name), and not turning in so much at the heart. It lasts as long in crop as the White Silesian.

IMPERIAL HEAD.

Turkey Cabbage. Union.

A large and excellent variety, but inferior to the Versailles or the Ice Cabbage. Head large, regular, a little oblong, of a dull, pale-green color, and not compactly formed; the outside leaves are large, rounded, undulated or waved on the borders, thin in texture, and of a soiled or tarnished light-green color; diameter fourteen inches; weight twelve to fifteen ounces; seeds white.

This is a crisp and tender lettuce, though sometimes slightly bitter. It is not early, and soon shoots up to seed; but is quite hardy, and well adapted for winter cultivation.

The Imperial Head, or Imperial Cabbage Lettuce, with white seeds, was at one period more generally cultivated in small gardens than any other variety; and though some of the recently introduced sorts excel it, not only in size, but in tender consistency and flavor, the Imperial is still extensively cultivated and much esteemed.

With the exception of the color of its seeds, it resembles the Turkey Cabbage.

INDIA.

Large India.

Head large, moderately compact; leaves large, with coa.r.s.e and hard mid-ribs and veins. Its recommendation is its remarkable adaptedness to summer culture; as it withstands heat and drought, and retains its head to a remarkable degree before running to seed. For the table, it is inferior to many other sorts; although the large ribs and veins of the leaves are comparatively brittle, and of tender texture.

LARGE BROWN CABBAGE OR MOGUL.

Grosse brune paresseuse. _Vil._ Large Gray Cabbage. Mammoth.

Head remarkably large, round, regularly formed, grayish-green, tinted or washed with reddish-brown at the top: the leaves not composing the head are large, plaited, coa.r.s.ely blistered, of a grayish-green color, stained here and there with spots of pale-brown. The diameter of a well-grown plant is about fourteen inches, and its weight nearly a pound; seeds black.

The Large Brown Cabbage Lettuce is crisp and tender, but is sometimes slightly bitter. Its season is near that of the Versailles; but it is slower in forming its head, and sooner runs to flower. It is hardy, good for forcing and well adapted for cultivation during winter. In summer, the heads are comparatively small, and loosely formed.

LARGE RED CABBAGE.

Rouge charteuse. _Vil._

Head green, washed with red, of medium size, regularly but loosely formed; the exterior leaves are large, undulated, blistered, and stained with brownish-red, like those of the head; diameter thirteen or fourteen inches; weight twelve ounces; seeds black.

Its season is near that of the Large Brown Cabbage. When grown in warm weather, the head is small, and the plant soon runs to seed: in winter, the head is much larger, more solid, and longer retained. It resembles the Brown Dutch, but differs in the deeper color of the leaves.

LARGE WINTER CABBAGE OR MADEIRA.

Laitue pa.s.sion. _Vil._

Head of medium size, regular in form, not compact, green, washed with red at the top: the leaves not composing the head are broad and large, a little undulated or waved on the border, plaited or folded at the base, thin in texture, somewhat blistered, and stained with spots of clear brown. When grown in winter, or in cool, moist weather, the plants will measure about a foot in diameter, and weigh nearly a pound. Seeds white.

It is quite brittle, though not remarkable for tenderness of texture; hardy; succeeds well when grown in cold weather; and remains long in head before shooting up to seed. Season, the same with that of the Green Winter Cabbage.

MALTA OR ICE CABBAGE.

Ice Cos. Drumhead. White Cabbage. De Malte. _Vil._

In its general character, this variety resembles the White Silesian. The head is remarkably large, somewhat flattened, compact, pale-green without, and white at the centre; the outer leaves are large and broad, glossy-green, and coa.r.s.ely blistered; the mid-ribs and nerves are large and prominent. The extreme diameter of a full-grown plant is about sixteen inches, and the weight from twenty to twenty-four ounces. The seeds are white.

The variety heads readily, blanches naturally, and is crisp, tender, and well flavored. It is hardy, but not early; and remains long in head without running to seed.

It is extensively cultivated in England; and in some localities succeeds better, and is of finer quality, than the White Silesian or Ma.r.s.eilles Cabbage. The name is derived from the glazed or polished surface of the leaves.

NEAPOLITAN.

Naples Cabbage.

Plant dwarfish; head of large size, round, regularly formed, solid,--when in perfection, resembling a well-developed cabbage; the exterior leaves are broad and large, green, frilled on the margin, and coa.r.s.ely blistered. If well grown, the plants will measure sixteen inches in diameter, and weigh from twenty to twenty-four ounces. Seeds white.

The Neapolitan Lettuce blanches naturally, is well flavored, and so slow in the development of its flower-stalk, that the heads are sometimes artificially divided at the top to facilitate its growth, and to secure the seeds, a supply of which is always obtained with difficulty; as, aside from the tardiness of the plant in flowering, the yield is never abundant.

It is not so good for forcing as many others, and must be cla.s.sed as a summer rather than as a winter variety.