AJ.RIL.] THE KITCHEN-GARDEN. 305 



The great art of improving sandy and clay soils ; is, to give to the 

 former, such dressings of clay, cow-dung, and other kinds of ma- 

 nure, as will have a tendency to bind and make it more compact, 

 and consequently more retentive of moisture ; and to the latter, 

 coats of sandy earth, pond-mud, horse-dung, and such other com- 

 posts as may tend, to separate its particles and open its pores, there- 

 by easily to discharge any superabundance of moisture, and cause 

 it to approach, as near as possible, to a loam ; which may be greatly 

 assisted by summer and winter fallowing ; for the winter frost, and 

 summer heat, being the plough and spade of nature, have a power 

 to separate the particles of earth, by the expansion of the particles 

 of water, lodged between, and in contact with them, more effectually, 

 than the ploughs and spades made by the hand of man ; but when 

 art and nature act in co-operation, the business is more speedily 

 accomplished. This is the foundation stone, of horticulture and 

 agriculture, and merits the serious consideration of every person 

 .concerned. 



Let it not be understood, that I am an advocate for late sowing 

 or planting ; I am the reverse, when it can be done under favour- 

 able circumstances. 



The above remarks are applicable generally, to all the other 

 open-ground departments, as well as to the Kitchen-Garden ; but 

 particularly, in as much as they have relation to the sowing of 

 seeds. 



Care of Cucumbers and Melons, &c. 



Examine your cucumber and melon beds, and if any have de- 

 clined in heat, especially in the early part of the month, line them 

 with fresh dung, as directed in page 9 : this will be necessary, in 

 order to obtain plentiful crops of fruit. 



As the sun is now become very powerful, all kinds of plants, 

 which you have in hot-beds, will require abundance of air, and oc- 

 casional shade ; for if the beds were left close shut, only for a few 

 hours, during the prevalence of a hot mid-day sun, the whole would 

 be schorched to death : therefore, you ought never to leave the 

 garden at such times, without first raising the glasses, and giving 

 shade to the plants if thought necessary. 



Making new Hot-beds for Cucumbers and Melons. 



In order to have successional crops of encumbers and melons, 

 you may in the early part of this month, make new hot-beds, either 

 for the reception of plants or for sowing the seeds ; observing 

 the directions given in the former months, as well for these, as the 

 due attention which fruiting and other plants require. 



Making Hot*bed Ridges , for Cucumbers and Melons, 



Make hot-bed ridges, about the middle of this month, for the cu- 

 cumber and melon plants raised last month, in order to be planted 



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