APRIL] THE KITCHEN GARDEN. 32 1 



Likewise, a few more kidney-beans, &c. (See last month and 

 January?) 



In hot-houses where grape-vines are trained in, from plants grow- 

 ing on the outside, and conducted up under the glasses, &c., they 

 will, towards the end of this month, or earlier, according to the de- 

 gree of heat kept up, be well advanced in young shoots, having fruit, 

 which shoots should be carefully trained along in regular order, and 

 all the improper and superfluous growths cut away. 



APRIL. 



THE KITCHEN GARDEN. 



PREVIOUS to entering upon the work of the kitchen garden, &c. 

 for this month, it will be proper to observe that a great portion of 

 the open ground culture and sowing necessary to be done in some 

 places in April, have been fully treated of in March, in order to 

 accommodate those citizens of the middle States, whose gardens, 

 from the nature of soil and situation, admit of early sowing, as well 

 as a desire in many to have their crops at as early a period as pos- 

 sible, either for sale or family use; and also for the general accommo- 

 dation of the more southerly States, that month being their principal 

 season for gardening. But, in the eastern States generally, and in 

 such parts of the middle States as the ground is naturally of a bind- 

 ing and heavy nature, this will be the most eligible period for sowing 

 their general garden crops ; always observing to sow the hardy kinds 

 as early in the month as the soil, season, and situation will admit of, 

 in order that the young plants may be established before they are 

 overtaken by the summer heat and drought ; but never, nor on any 

 account should a stiff or moist ground be wrought till it gets so dry 

 as to fall to pieces in the working, nor delayed till it binds and 

 becomes hard. Let the spade not be applied till every particle of 

 water, that is not in contact with the clay, is either drained away or 

 drawn off by the air ; nick that time and you will then find the earth 

 to work freely, and not subject to bind afterwards ; for if a clay is 

 worked before this critical period it kneads like dough, becomes more 

 tough, and never fails to bind when drought follows, which not only 

 prevents the seed to rise, but injures the plants materially in their 

 subsequent growth by its becoming impervious to the moderate rains, 

 dews, air, and influence of the sun, which are all necessary to the 

 promotion of vegetation. 



On the other hand, a light sandy soil will be rather benefited by 

 working it when moist, as such will have a tendency to make it more 

 compact, and consequently more retentive of moisture. 



The nearer the ground approaches to a sand the less retentive will 

 it be of moisture ; the more to a clay the longer will it retain it ; and 



