FEB.] THE KITCHEN GARDEN. 121 



digging; and by paring the top of each trenching two or three inches 

 deep into the bottom, all seeds of weeds on the surface are thereby 

 buried so deep that they cannot grow ;* and I should likewise advise 

 that the general digging be performed principally, especially in stiff 

 ground* before the setting in of the winter frosts, or early in spring; 

 but it would be better if done some considerable time before the sea- 

 son for putting in the crops, that the ground might have the advantage 

 of fallow, to meliorate and enrich it, and always let the ground be 

 trenched in rough ridges, that it may receive all possible benefit from 

 the sun, air, rains, frosts, &c., to fertilize and pulverize the soil before 

 it is levelled down for the reception of seeds and plants ; and this 

 levelling down will be an additional improvement in breaking, divid- 

 ing, and meliorating the earth. Plain digging, however, may be 

 sufficient for most of the slight crops, especially in summer or autumn, 

 after the ground has been trench-digged in the general winter or 

 spring digging. 



As to manure any kind of dung, or compost of dung and earth, 

 is proper ; and if this could be suited to the nature of the soil, it 

 would be of greater advantage, that is, for ground of a strong, heavy, 

 cold nature, have for manure a compost of well-rotted dung, ashes, 

 or any sandy earths ; and if light sandy ground, have the moistest 

 sort of dung and heavy earths ; though any kind of well-rotted dung 

 will suit as proper manure for almost every soil, but none better than, 

 the dung of old hot-beds, which is the most common manure in. 

 kitchen gardens, being horse-stable dung, first used in hot-beds, where 

 it becomes rotted to a soft, moist temperament of an extremely en- 

 riching quality, and suits almost all kinds of soil and plants, or some 

 of the same quality from dung-hills is equally eligible ; but well-rotted 

 neat's dung is also very good, particularly for light grounds ; or a 

 compost of different kinds, as horse dung, neat's dung, hog's dung, 

 farm-yard dung or mulch, ashes, lime-rubbish broken small, sawdust, 

 rotten tan, having all lain together till well rotted, will make excel- 

 lent compost manure. 



The manuring or dunging the ground may be necessary every year 

 or two ; for all crops being of an exhausting nature in every soil, the 

 vegetative vigor of the soils must be supported accordingly by a pro- 

 per application of manure ; but once every two or three years, at 

 farthest, the ground in general will want amendment ; though, where 

 there is plenty of dung, give it as far as it will go every year, espe- 

 cially for the principal crops, such as onions, cauliflowers, cabbages, 

 &c., for as the different crops exhaust the soil, the addition of dung 

 fertilizes and renews it, which when duly applied in proper quantities, 

 the various crops will not only be much finer, but arrive to earlier 

 perfection than in poor starved ground. 



But for some particular crops, ground which has been well manured 

 the year before, will be more eligible than if immediately fresh 

 dunged the same year ; such as for some of the long fusiform-rooted 

 kinds, as carrots and parsneps, &c., unless the dung is perfectly rotted, 



* When the good soil is less than two feet deep, the under base, or in- 

 ferior portion, my be loosened and left in the bottom. 



