Edwin’s Cabbage

Matters and Things at Manti

Manti, Setptember 15, 1852

Editor:

I have often heard it stated, that the valley of San Pete would not produce mellons. This story has probably originated from the fact that the brethren have heretofore not succeeded in bring melons into maturity. This has been laid to the door of Jack Frost, but this is not the sole cause, for it is well known that while there from one to five hundred Indians in our midst during the greater part of the summer, and while they are allowed to travel over our fields, gardens, &c., unmolested and unrestrained, we can do but little in the way of raising melons. This season, many of the bretheren have their city lots fenced, and are living on them; those that are thus situated, are blessed with fine melons, squashes, pumpkins, tomatoes, &c.—articles that have not been raised with any degree of successes, previous to this year. I had a squash from the garden of bro. Holden a few days since, that was equally good as any I ever saw in G.S. valley.

Bro. Edwin Whiting showed me a number of heads of cabbage a few days since, that equal any that ever grew in Bunkomg, N.C. He raised his cabbage from the seed last season, (‘51) cut the heads from the stalks and buried the stocks in the fall so as to protect them from the winter frosts.– In the spring he took them and set them in rows, from 20 inches to two feet apart; after they had started the many shoots that usually come out on an old stock, he selected the healthiest and most thrifty bud or shaft, and broke the others off. The buds so left, have sprung into large, hard, white heads of cabbage; in fact, this cabbage is better headed than any I have ever seen in the valleys.—Bro. Whiting has tried this experiment two seasons, with good success, and recommends this process of raising cabbage very highly

We have had a high frost on the bottoms, but none to injure any sort of vegetation in this city as yet. We had a very severe hail storm in this place, this morning; but as the harvesting is almost over, it could have done but very little damage. After the hail, it rained a fine shower, which will hasten the growth of turnips, &c.

I am yours, AND. L. SIL’ER

Source: Deseret News Deseret News 1852-11-06 pg 2

http://www.lib.utah.edu/digital/unews/dn.html

Note: Original spelling and punctuation retained.