D I G 



D I G 



mentation takes plaee, by which heat is not only 

 evolved, but various other substances necessary 

 for the purpose or healthy vegetation provided. 

 But where the object is chiefly that of produ- 

 cing a fine mellowness in the mould, it may be 

 performed at suitable leisure times in the autumn, 

 being ridged or laid up so as to be exposed to 

 the full uniuenceof the winter frosts, and be in 

 a proper condition for being levelled down and 

 sown or planted upon in the early spring. 



In bringing garden land into a suitable state 

 for the reception of crops, it is an useful prac- 

 tice in some cases, especially where the sub-soil 

 is of a good rich quality, to have it trenched 

 over, paring off the surface, and turning it to 

 the bottom, to be covered by the earth from be- 

 low; but this should never be attempted except 

 for tap-rooted crops, where the under soil is of a 

 steril unfriendly nature, as by such means the 

 bed for the immediate reception of the seeds or 

 plants must become very unfriendly to their 

 growth, while the rich surface vegetable mate- 

 rial will be placed out of their reach, and lost. 

 This sort of work may be performed either in 

 the autumn or spring months ; but in the more 

 heavy, adhesive soils it should always be per- 

 formed when the weather is dry, as under other 

 circumstances the mould is liable to become 

 lumpy and uneven, and of course unfit for the 

 putting in of crops. 



In the execution of the first mode, or that of 

 plain digging, the workman proceeds by begin- 

 ning at one end of the piece of ground, forming 

 a trench or opening quite across, to the depth 

 which may be considered necessary, as from half 

 a spit to a spit, according to the crop to be put 

 in, and the same width, conveying the earth 

 taken out to the opposite end, where the work 

 i3 to finish; then proceeding with a second 

 course across as before, turning the different 

 spits in a clean, neat, even manner, into the 

 former opening, continuing the same regular 

 courses till the whole is dug over, breaking and 

 reducing the lumps and clods as much as pos- 

 sible, being careful to preserve a level even sur- 

 face, having a due regard to any hollows or 

 depressions that may be present. The earth 

 taken out from the first opening or trench will 

 serve to fill up and render the last even and 

 level ; and when dung is applied, it may either 

 be spread evenly over the surface, and regularly 

 turned in, or placed in the hollow or trench, and 

 ■covered by the digging of the following trench. 

 This is much the best practice where the dung is 

 of a rather littery nature. As the work ad- 

 vances, the roots of perennial weeds, such as 

 twitch, bear-bind, and others of th? same sort, 



should be carefully picked out, as they multiply 

 fast by being divided ; and the surface-ones be 

 well turned to the bottom. 



In the latter, or trench method of digging, the 

 usual practice is to begin at one end of the piece 

 of ground, and form or open by a line and 

 the spade a trench two spits wide, to the depth 

 of one or two, removing the earth taken out to 

 the contrary end, for the purpose of filling up 

 the last trench ; then to form a second trench in 

 the same manner, after having pared off the sur- 

 face, and placed it in the bottom of the former; 

 proceeding in the same way till the whole is 

 trenched over. In this mode it is usual to sho- 

 vel up and take out the reduced mould or crumbs 

 from the bottoms of the trenches in each course 

 of digging. In executing the labour in this 

 sort of digging, the workman stands with his 

 side to the trench, while in the former case he 

 faces it. This practice is particularly useful 

 where the ground is much infested with weeds, 

 and where the soil is stiff", or not of great depth. 

 The dung in this way of digging, where it is 

 made to the depth of only one spit, may be put 

 in the bottom ; but when two spades' depth are 

 employed, it should be put in upon the first spit, 

 after it has been dug off and placed in the bot- 

 tom of the former trench or opening, as by this 

 means it will not be buried to too great a depth, 

 which would otherwise be the case. 



The trench digging of garden ground may be 

 performed either in a level surface, as in com- 

 mon digging, or in rough ridges : the first is 

 the best method when immediate sowing is in- 



tended ; but the latter 



eneral where the land 



is to remain some time before it receives the crop, 

 as in this way it will derive the greatest advan- 

 tage from the influence of the atmosphere, and 

 be more fully reduced, and rendered fine in the 

 mould by being levelled down, when thesowing 

 or planting is to be performed. But where the 

 soils are of a thin, gravelly, or sandy nature, as 

 they are liable to part with their moisture too 

 freely, and do not stand much in need of pulveri- 

 zation, it would seem the best practice to con- 

 stantly dig them in a plain or level surface, as by 

 such means the effects of evaporation will be 

 most effectually guarded against. 



In general, all sorts of digging and levelling 

 down, especially in the stifl'er sorts of soil^ 

 should be executed when the ground is in a state 

 somewhat inclining to dryness, as it can never 

 be done to advantage when in a very moist or 

 cloggy condition. 



DIGITALIS, a genus comprising plants of 

 the herbaceous hardy flowering biennial and 

 perennial kinds. 



2X 



