GENERAL REMARKS. 15 



of good old manure, and other composts, ready to incorpo- 

 rate with the earth ; and also a portion of ashes, soot, tobacco 

 dust, and lime, for the purpose of sowing over seed beds in 

 dry weather, to destroy insects, which sometimes cut off 

 young plants as fast as they come up. 



If the ground cannot be all manured every year, as it 

 should be, it is of primary importance that those vegetables 

 be provided for which most need manure. A perusal of the 

 Catalogue will enable the young gardener to judge of the 

 kinds of garden products which require it most. Lest I 

 should not have been explicit enough in this particular, I 

 would inform him that good rich manure is indispensably ne- 

 cessary for the production of Broccoli, Cauliflower, Cabbage, 

 Lettuce, Spinage, Onions, Radishes, and Salads in general. 



In the event of a scanty supply of manure, those kinds of 

 vegetables which are raised in hills or drills, may be pro- 

 vided for by disposing of the manure immediately under the 

 seed or plants.* 



The next important matter is to have the ground in suita- 

 ble condition to receive the seed. I wish it to be understood 



* As some cultivators, by their method of using manure, show that they 

 have very erroneous ideas as to its real object or utility, I would remind 

 such, that manure should be applied with a view to renovate and strengthen 

 the natural soil, and not as a receptacle for seed. In order that manure 

 may have a salutary effect, it should be thoroughly incorporated with the 

 earth, by the operation of digging or ploughing. When it is used in hills 

 or on a given spot, it should be well pulverized and mixed with the earth 

 so as to form a compost. These remarks apply especially to strong ani- 

 mal manures, the excrements of fowls, as also to soaper's, tanner's, and 

 glue manufacturer's manure, rags, &c. Lime, ashes, bone dust, poudrette, 

 urate, salt, sulphur, gypsum, nitrate of potash, and other portable manures, 

 may be sown over the land previous to harrowing or raking it, or such 

 manures may be formed into a compost when used in hills or drills. They 

 should in every case be used with caution, as an indiscreet use of them 

 will destroy the seed or plants, and thus defeat the cultivator's object. 

 Many gardeners can corroborate these facts, from having used strong com- 

 post as a mould for their hot-beds, thereby poisoning the germs of the seed, 

 and causing the plants to die off prematurely ; and it is notorious that a 

 great proportion of failing crops is occasioned by an injudicious mode of 

 using manure 



