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"Brasica. Cabbages and Coleworts.
There is greater diversity in the form and colour of the leaves of this plant, then there is in
any other that I know groweth upon the ground. But this place requireth not the knowledge of all
sorts which might be shewen, many of them being of no use with us for the table, but for
delight, to behold the wonderfull variety of the workes of God herein. I will there therefore
shew you only those sorts that are ordinary in most Gardens, and some that are rare, recieved
into some especiall Gardens: and first of Cabbages, and then of Coleworts.

Our ordinary Cabbage that closeth hard and round, hat at the first great large thicke leaves, of
a grayish greene colour, with thicke great ribbes, and lye open most part of the Summer without
closing, but toward the end of Summer, being growne to have many leaves, it then beginneth to
growe close and round in the middle, and it closeth, the leaves growe white inward; yet there be
some kindes that will never be so close as these, but will remaine halfe open, which wee doe not
account for to be so good as the other; in the middle of this head, the next yeare after the
sowing, in other Countries especially, and sometimes in ours, if the Winter be milde, as may be
seene in divers Gardens (but to prevent the danger of our Winter frosts, our Gardiners now doe
use to get up divers Cabbbages with their rootes, and tying a cloth of some such thing about the
rootes, doe hang them up in their houses, where they may be defended from cold, and then set
them againe after the frosts are past) and then there shooteth out a great thicke stalke,
divided at the toppe into many branches, bearing thereon diverse small flowers, somtime white,
but moste commonly yellow, made of foure leaves, with turne into long, round, and pointed pods,
containing therein small round seede, like unto Turnep seed: the roote spreadeth not farre nor
deepe, and dyeth usually in any great froste; for small frost maketh the Cabbage eate the
tenderer.

The red Cabbage is like the white, last spoken of, but differing in colour and greatness; for it
is seldome found so great as the white, and the colour of the leaves is very variable, as being
in some stript with red, in others more red, or very deepe red or purple.

The sugar loafe Cabbage, so called because it is smaller at the toppe then it is at the bottome,
and is of two sorts, the one white, the other greene.

The Savoy Cabbadge, one is of a deepe greene coloured leave, and curld when it is to be
gathered; the other is yellowish: neither of both these doe close so well as the first, but yet
are used of some, and accounted good.

The Cole flower is a kind of Coleworte, whose leaves are large, and like the Cabbage leaves, but
somewhat smaller, and endented about the edges, in the middle whereof, sometimes in the
beginning of Autumne, and sometimes much sooner, there appeareth a hard head of whitish yellow
tufts of flowers, closely thrust together, but never open, nor spreading much with us, which
then is fittest to be used, the green leaves being cut away close to the head: this hath a much
pleasanter taste then eyther the Coleworte, or Cabbage of any kinde, is therefore of the more
regard and respect at good mens tables.

The ordinary Coleworte is sufficiently knowne not to close or cabbage, and giveth seede
plentifully enough.

The other Colewortes that are noursed up with those that delight in curiousities, besides the
aforesaid greene, which is much used of Dutchmen, and other strangers, are these: the Curld
Coleworte eyther wholly of a greene colour, or of divers colours in one plant, as white, yellow,
red purple or crimson, so variably mixed, the leaves being curled on the edges, like a ruffe
band, that it is very beautifull to behold.

There is also another curld Colewort of less beauty and respect, being but a little curld on the
edges, whose leaves are white, edged with red, or green edged with white.

Two other there are, the one of a popingaye greene colour: the other a fine deepe greene, like
unto the Savoyes.

Then there is the Cole rape, which is also a kind of Coleworte, that beareth a white heade, or
headed stalke above the ground, as bigge as a reasonable Turnep, but longer, and from the toppe
thereof springeth out divers great leaves, like unto Colewortes; among which rise divers stalkes
that beare yellow flowers, and seede in pods, almost as small as Mustard seed: the roote is
somewhat long, and very bushie with threds."



Thomas Hyll, _The Gardener's Labyrinth_:

"The most ancient of the Greeks divided the Colewort into three kinds onely, as the crisped,
which they named _Selinoidea_, for the similitude of the leaves of Parcely, the same of them
_Lean_, for the broad leaves issuing or growing forth of the stem, for which cause, some named
it _Cauloden_. And the same which properly is named _Crambe_ growing up with thinner leaves,
both single and very thick. The Colewort becommeth the bigger, through the earth daily turned
light about the body. And particularly to write, the common Colewors, which they name the long
or gree, ought to be sown from the middle of August, or from the beginning of September, that
thes may be grown up to big leaves to serve in Winter and in the Lent time. The husbandly
Gardener or owner may plant young Celeworts in October, and set them again in December, to
possesse the leaves in the sharp Winter, and the seeds in June and July, and to make them also
grow as big tuft, as in the other seasons of the year, and as tender or rather tenderer,
although not so delectable...

The red Coleworts naturally grow through the amondance of hot dung, or through the watering or
wel moistening of them with the Lees of wine, or else by the planting of them in hot places,
where the Sun shineth a long time together

Never take the tops of the Romane, crisped, nor the other for your turn
and use, but alwaies the thick leaves downward, from the heads or tops."


-- Jadwiga Zajaczkowa   jenne at fiedlerfamily.net
"Lend our voices only to sounds of freedom/ No longer lend our strength to
that which we wish to be free from/Fill lives with love and bravery/
And we shall lead a life uncommon." -- Jewel, _Life Uncommon_