KITCHEN -GARDEN SEEDS. 281 KITCHEN-GARDEN SEEDS. 



feet apart. The following is a very con- 

 venient plan of growing grapes on a wall 

 between the peaches. The latter were 

 placed 15 feet apart, and a vine planted in 

 each space half-way between ; the vine was 

 carried in a single stem to the top of the 

 wall, where it divided into two stems, 

 which were trained right and left under the 

 coping ; and as they were pruned on the 

 spur system, they took up little room, and 

 did not interfere with the other trees. On 

 the east and west walls plant trained trees 

 plums, cherries, pears, and mulberries 

 after the same rule, but without the same 

 precaution as to soil, as these are not so 

 particular. 



In draining the kitchen garden, one of 

 the drains ought to run the whole length 

 of the south border; for where peaches, 

 nectarines, and especially apricots, are to 

 be cultivated, the ground should be 

 thoroughly drained. 



Kitchen-Garden Seeds. 



In most large kitchen -gardens seeds of 

 all the different vegetables in use are saved 

 from year to year. This practice is recom- 

 mended not only by economy, but by every 

 consideration of good management ; for, in 

 this way, sorts that have been found to suit 

 the soil and situation are effectually pre- 

 served. To save seeds, however, is a work 

 of some trouble. It causes a great waste 

 of ground, exhaustion of soil, and also 

 involves much labour. Moreover, in a 

 thickly wooded country, the birds are 

 generally so troublesome, that, if they do 

 not prevent the saving of seeds, they add 

 much to the expense of it. Wherever, 

 therefore, ground is limited, birds trouble- 

 some, and there are no spare hands, we 

 should be inclined to give up the practice, 

 or, at least, to limit the saving of seeds to 

 a few favourite sorts. 



But whether seeds are saved or bought, 

 great care must be taken in storing them. 



They should be kept until wanted for use in 

 some dry, airy situation. It is not well to 

 commit seeds to boxes and drawers ; the 

 safest plan is to hang them up in small paper 

 or muslin bags. Peas and beans, which are 

 subject to maggots, should be looked over 

 occasionally and kept clean. Seeds of some 

 sorts of vegetables will keep good for years ; 

 but, of course.it is best to use new seeds ; and 

 there is always a saving of time in so doing, 

 for old seed, when good, does not germi- 

 nate as quickly as new. Good seeds can 

 now be purchased at a very reasonable 

 rate, and novelties in every kind of vege- 

 table are continually being introduced. 

 Most seedsmen publish lists of seeds with 

 prices, suitable in quantity to gardens of all 

 sizes, and as the demand for seeds is an 

 annual one, no man of character will ven- 

 ture to hazard his reputation and his 

 interest by sending out bad seed. It is 

 very easy to test the growing qualities of 

 seeds, and this is always done by our lead- 

 ing seedsmen before they are packed up 

 and offered for sale. The collections of 

 kitchen-garden seeds offered and supplied 

 are so varied in sorts, and so moderate in 

 price, that the generality of gardeners may 

 well be spared the trouble of saving seeds, 

 and use their land for crops that will prove 

 more useful to the grower. 



The following is an enumeration of the 

 seeds necessary for a year's supply, with 

 quantities and prices to suit gardens of five 

 different sizes, but with reference to them 

 it may be said that it is not in strict accor- 

 dance with economy in gardening to adopt 

 any one or the other of them implicitly, and 

 the buyer will but too often find among 

 them many packets that the small grower 

 does not absolutely require, and which in 

 all probability he would not use. It is best 

 to make one's own selection from the price 

 lists, altogether omitting the firassica, 

 plants of which can always be bought for 

 6d. per 100. 



