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IIG KinilKN OAUDENINQ, 



It is a suuiiil pliilosophy wliicli places the useful before the beautiful. Let a vci.'<- 

 table ^arilen once be well attended to — once become an object of perfection — becoiiH- 

 a source of j>loasuro and prido to the proprietijr, — and Ivosos, and ^'iok'ts, and 2)erh;ips 

 even the Victoria horsolf, will not long remain forgotten or uncared for. 



A good vegetable grower must not be classed with the mere "plodder." There is 

 dignity attached to his profession. The plant or fruit grower lias not more. The 

 science of his branch is decj), and its art affords scope f(;r hiyh culture, lie has innu- 

 merable topics to study ; a great diversity to interest. Tlie soil, situation, and aspect 

 of the garden ; its arrangement, division, and formation, to the best advantage ; its 

 connection with other arrangements for manure, for water, and for general conven- 

 iences ; the best situation for permanent crops, an<l tlie best places for peculiar ones ; 

 the times and seasons for seed time and planting ; the several culture of each kind to 

 the mutual advantage of both the crop and the ground ; the production of crops at 

 an unnatural or an unusual season, and the preservatien of others to a late period ; 

 the fiiculty of watchfulness for all improvements, either in the kinds of vegetables 

 themselves or in their modes of culture ; — these are among a few of the points to be 

 attended to in successful vesfetable-frardening. 



o o o 



To do full justice to each of these heads, would fill a volume ; and there are many 

 excellent volumes on the subject, well repaying perusal. All I propose to do in this 

 chapter, is to call the attention of the novice to a few main points in each ; so that 

 once well directed, he may easily pursue by himself the path to success. 



The best soil for a vegetable garden is a brown loam, inclining to sand. Other soils 

 may be better for certain crops, but this will be adapted to most, while all can be 

 made to do well in it. 



The nature of the subsoil is of importance. One impervious to moisture will 7iot 

 do; any other may be tolerated — a bed of brick-earth preferred. 



The situation should be convenient for access, for manure, and for water ; and have 

 a slight fall to the southeast, and shelter on the northwest. 



In its division and arrangement, the walks should run at right angles ; and, if the 

 garden be of "any" extent, be made of a hard bottom, and wide enough for a cart to 

 pass over. The "squares," for the convenience of digging, should be square, or in 

 parallel, right angled lines. 



In ineparincj the soil, underdraining will in many cases be of advantage, if it can be 

 properly done ; otherwise it " will not pay." The drains, whether of stone, tile, or 

 brick, ought to be two and a half or three feet deep, and not more than nine yards 

 from each other. Then the benefits of trenching the soil would prove great, especially 

 if about a foot in depth of stable manure be first laid over the surface. There are two 

 ways of trenching: one loosens the soil, say two feet deep, and brings the lowest soil 

 to the top ; the other loosens the soil to the same depth, but leaves the subsoil still at 

 the bottom. The first is employed to renovate worn out soil ; the last is to be used 

 in forming a new garden. 



Having got our garden sited, formed, and fixed, the ])crmanenf crops next call for 

 location. We have to deal with Horse-radish, Rhubarb, Asparagus, Sea Kale, herbs. 



