LA T1NO OUT THE KITCHEN GARDEN. 383 



which continue not only to be supplied to that periodical, and several 

 others which appear monthly, but to several gardening newspapers. 

 Amateurs also have very generally become writers on horticultural 

 subjects ; and from the views which many of them take different from 

 those held by practical men, the discussions they often elicit prove 

 highly instructive to all parties. What we greatly admire in all this 

 intellectual progress is, that gardeners still maintain their modesty of 

 deportment and that high moral character which command the respect 

 of their employers and of all who know them. 



CHAPTER XI. 



THE CULTURE OF THE KITCHEN AND FRUIT GARDEN. 

 Laying out the Kitchen- Garden. 



THE situation, relative to the other parts of a residence, should be as 

 near the house as is consistent with other details. In general the kitchen, 

 stable offices, and kitchen-garden should be on one side of the mansion or 

 dwelling, and so placed as to admit of intercommunication without bring- 

 ing the operations or operators into the view of the family or their visitors. 

 As the stable offices are generally near the kitchen offices, so the kitchen- 

 garden may be near the stables ; and in such a situation it will generally 

 be found that the kitchen-garden is less seen from the windows of the 

 mansion, than if it were placed at a much greater distance. A very little 

 reflection will convince anyone that this must necessarily be the case. 

 Relatively to surface, one which is level, open, and airy, is the best ; 

 because it is least liable to be affected by high winds. The next best 

 surface is one gently sloping to the south, or south-east ; and the worst 

 is one sloping to the north-east. The surface of a hill is to be avoided 

 on account of its exposure to high winds; and equally so one in a 

 valley, on account of the cold air which descends from the adjoining 

 heights and settles there. The extent is regulated by the wants of the 

 family, and may vary from a quarter of an acre to several acres ; 

 everything depending on the quantity and quality of the produce 

 required. The best soil is a loam, rather sandy than clayey, on a 

 subsoil moderately retentive. The form of the garden should be 

 rectangular, as better adapted than any other for the operations to be 

 carried on within. The area is enclosed by walls, in general forming 

 a parallelogram with its longest side in the direction of east and west, 

 in consequence of which the greater length of walling has a surface 

 exposed to the south. When the situation is such as to require 

 artificial shelter, plantations are formed exterior to the garden for this 

 purpose, but they should never, if practicable, be nearer the walls than 

 100 or 150 feet ; for though science has not yet satisfactorily assigned 

 the reason, yet it is certain that nothing is more injurious to culinary 

 vegetables and fruits, than the exclusion of a free current of air in 

 every direction. The sole object of shelter ought to be to break the 



