58 PRINCIPLES OF GARDENING. [CH. II. 



that fertile pulverized soil absorbs and retains from 

 them moisture, explains why plants are benefited 

 by having their lateral roots kept near the surface, 

 and by lla^•ing that surface frequently loosened by 

 the fork. This is no mere imagination of theory, 

 for as long since as the days of Cato, half a century 

 before the Christian era, the importance of pulver- 

 izing the soil was duly appreciated. "What is 

 good husbandry ? " inquires that writer. To plough. 

 •' What is the second point?" To plough. The 

 third is " to manure." In later days, Mr. Barnes, 

 one of the best practical gardeners of the present 

 age, in a letter to me, dated August, 18-44, says, — 

 " To secure good crops of carrots, parsnips, and 

 onions, I make it a standing rule to trench the 

 ground well in winter, tliro\\-ing it into rough ridges, 

 forking and turning it over during frosty mornings, 

 which not only sweetens and pulverizes the earth, 

 but eradicates insects, for I prefer a good prepara- 

 tion to early sowing ; and practice has proved to me 

 ^ that a good season for sowing is any time between 

 ?the 15th March and the 10th April. My practice 

 is, sow every thing in drills ; hoe as soon as the 

 plants can be seen breaking the suiface, continuing 

 the hoeing throughout the season at eveiy opportunity 

 when the weather will permit, but not duiing rain, 

 or when the ground is full of water, — not for the 

 sake so much to destroy weeds and insects, which 



