Savoy

Savoy Cabbage. Brassica oleracea, var. bullata. Dec.

This class of cabbages derives its popular name from Savoy, a small district adjoining Italy, where the variety originated, and from whence it was introduced into England and France more than a hundred and fifty years ago. The Savoys are distinguished from the common head or close-hearted cabbages by their peculiar, wrinkled, or blistered leaves. According to Decandole, this peculiarity is caused by the fact, that the pulp, or thin portion of the leaf, is developed more rapidly than the ribs and nerves.

Besides the distinction in the structure of the leaves, the Savoys, when compared with the common cabbages, are slower in their development, and have more open or less compactly formed heads. In texture and flavor, they are thought to approach some of the broccolis or cauliflowers; having, generally, little of the peculiar musky odor and taste common to some of the coarser and larger varieties of cabbages.

None of the family are hardier or more easily cultivated than the Savoys; and though they will not quite survive the winter in the open ground, so far from being injured by cold and frosty weather, a certain degree of frost is considered necessary for the complete perfection of their texture and flavor.

Soil.—They succeed best in strong, mellow loam, liberally enriched with well-digested compost.

Sowing.—The first sowing may be made early in a hot-bed, and the plants set in the open ground in May, or as soon as the weather will admit. Subsequent sowings may be made in drills, in the open ground, in May, or early in June. When the seedlings are five or six inches high, thin or transplant to about three feet apart.

Harvesting.—During the autumn, take the heads directly from the garden, whenever they are required for the table; but they should all be taken in before the ground is deeply frozen, or covered with snow. No other treatment will be required during the winter than such as is usually given to the Common Cabbage.

To raise Seed.—In April, select a few well-formed, good-sized heads, as near types of the variety as possible; and set them entire, about two feet apart. If small shoots start from the side of the stalk, they should be removed; as only the sprout that comes from the centre of the head produces seed that is really valuable. All varieties rapidly deteriorate, if grown from seeds produced by side-shoots, or suckers.

The seeds, when ripe, in form, size, and color, are not distinguishable from those of the Common Cabbage. An ounce contains ten thousand seeds, which will generally produce about three thousand plants.

Varieties.—

Drumhead Savoy.

Cape Savoy.

Head large, round, compact, yellowish at the centre, and a little flattened, in the form of some of the common Drumhead cabbages, which it nearly approaches in size. The exterior leaves of the plant are round and concave, clasping, sea-green or bluish-green, rise above a level with the top of the head, and are more finely and less distinctly fretted or blistered on the surface than the leaves of the Green Globe. Stalk of medium length.

The Drumhead Savoy seldom fails to heart well, affords a good quantity of produce, is hardy, and, when brought to the table, is of very tender substance, and finely flavored. It is considered one of the best of the large kinds; and, wherever cultivated, has become a standard sort. It keeps well during winter, and retains its freshness late into the spring.

As it requires nearly all of the season for its complete development, the seed should be sown comparatively early.

Transplant to rows at least three feet apart, and allow nearly the same distance between the plants in the row.

Early Dwarf Savoy.

Early Green Savoy.

Head small, flattened, firm, and close; leaves rather numerous, but not large, deep-green, finely but distinctly blistered, broad and rounded at the top, and tapering towards the stalk or stem of the plant, which is short. It is not quite so early as the Ulm Savoy; but it hearts readily, is tender and of good quality, and a desirable sort for early use.

It requires a space of about twenty inches in each direction.

Early Flat Green Curled Savoy. Thomp.

A middle-sized, very dwarf, and flat-headed variety; color deep-green; quality tender and good.

The plants should be set fifteen or eighteen inches asunder.

Early Long Yellow Savoy.

Chou de Milan Doré a Tète Longue. Vil.

Similar to the Golden Savoy, and, like it, an early sort. It has, however, a longer head, and does not heart so firmly. In flavor and texture, as well as in its peculiar color, there is little difference between the varieties.

Cultivate in rows eighteen inches apart, and fifteen or eighteen inches apart in the rows.

Early Ulm Savoy.

New Ulm Savoy. Earliest Ulm Savoy. M'Int.

A dwarfish, early sort. Head small, round, solid; leaves rather small, thick, fleshy, and somewhat rigid, of a fine, deep-green, with numerous prominent blister-like elevations. The loose leaves are remarkably few in number; nearly all of the leaves of the plant contributing to the formation of the head.

It very quickly forms a heart, which, though not of large size, is of excellent quality. It is, however, too small a sort for market purposes; but, for private gardens, would, no doubt, be an acquisition. In the London Horticultural Society's garden, it proved the earliest variety in cultivation.

Being one of the smallest of the Savoys, it requires but a small space for its cultivation. If fifteen inches between the rows, and about the same distance in the rows, be allowed, the plants will have ample room for their full development.

Feather-stem Savoy. M'Int.

This curious and useful variety has been in existence for several years, and is said to be a cross between the Savoy and the Brussels Sprouts. It is what may be called a sprouting Savoy; producing numerous shoots, or sprouts, along the stem.

A sowing should be made the last of April, and another from the middle to the 20th of May, and the plants set out as soon as they are of suitable size, in the usual manner of Savoys and other winter greens.

Golden Savoy.

Early Yellow Savoy. M'Int.

A middle-sized, roundish, rather loose-headed variety; changing during the winter to a clear, bright yellow. The exterior leaves, at the time of harvesting, are erect, clasping, of a pale-green color, and coarsely but not prominently blistered on the surface; stalk short.

The Golden Savoy comes to the table early, hearts readily, is of very tender substance when cooked, and of excellent quality; though its peculiar color is objectionable to many.

It requires a space of about eighteen inches between the rows, and fifteen to eighteen inches between the plants in the rows.

Green Globe Savoy.

Green Curled Savoy. Large Green Savoy.

One of the best and one of the most familiar of the Savoys; having been long in cultivation, and become a standard sort. The head is of medium size, round, bluish or sea green on the outside, yellow towards the centre, and loosely formed. The interior leaves are fleshy and succulent, with large and prominent midribs,—the exterior leaves are round and large, of a glaucous or sea green color, and, in common with those of the head, thickly and distinctly blistered in the peculiar manner of the Savoys; stalk of medium height.

The variety possesses all the qualities of its class: the texture is fine, and the flavor mild and excellent. On account of its remarkably fleshy and tender character, the inner loose leaves about the head will be found good for the table, and to possess a flavor nearly as fine as the more central parts of the plant.

It is remarkably hardy, and attains its greatest perfection only late in the season, or under the influence of cool or frosty weather. As the plants develop much less rapidly than those of the Common Cabbage, the seed should be sown early. Transplant in rows two and a half or three feet apart, and allow a space of two feet and a half between the plants in the rows.

Long-headed Savoy. Vil.

Chou Milan à Tète Longue.

A comparatively small variety, with an oval, long, yellowish-green, but very compact head; leaves erect, inclining to bluish-green, long and narrow, revoluted on the borders, and finely fretted or blistered on the surface; stem rather high.

It is hardy and of excellent quality, but yields less than many other sorts. It is, however, a good kind for gardens of limited size, as it occupies little space, and cabbages well. The plants may be set eighteen inches apart in one direction by about fifteen inches in the opposite.

Marcelin Savoy. Thomp.

A new sort, allied to the Early Ulm, but growing somewhat larger. Though not so early, it is next to it in point of earliness; and, if both sorts are sown at the same time, the Marcelin will form a succession. It is a low grower; the leaves are dark-green, finely wrinkled and curled; the head is round, compact, and of excellent quality. When cut above the lower course of leaves, about four small heads, almost equal in delicacy to Brussels Sprouts, are generally formed. This sort is exceedingly hardy; and, on the whole, must be considered a valuable acquisition.

The plants should be set eighteen inches by twelve inches apart.

Tour's Savoy.

Dwarf Green Curled Savoy. M'Int. Pancalier de Tourraine. Vil.

Head small, loose, and irregular; leaves numerous, bright-green, rigid, concave or spoon-shaped; the nerves and ribs large, and the entire surface thickly and finely covered with the blister-like swellings peculiar to the Savoys.

It has some resemblance to the Early Dwarf Savoy; but is larger, less compact, and slower in its development.

A useful, hardy, smallish sort, adapted to small gardens; requiring only eighteen or twenty inches' space each way. Excellent for use before it becomes fully cabbaged.

Yellow Curled Savoy. Thomp.

Large Late Yellow Savoy. White Savoy.

Dwarf, middle-sized, round; leaves pale-green at first, but quite yellow in winter; the heart is not so compact as some, but of tender quality, and by many preferred, as it is much sweeter than the other kinds. It is later and hardier than the Yellow Savoys, before described.