^j^^&^ 



m?^ 



GROUND AFTER TRENCHING. 



5. Top soil (note how the level is raised). 



6. Subsoil broken up and manured. 



7. Third spit broken up. 



! 92 Encyclopaedia of Gardening 



KITCHEN GARDEN continued. 



over, wide borders can be made on the inner side, and those with 

 south and west aspects will be favourable for early crops. Failing 

 the wall there must be a hedge of Quick, Privet, Hornbeam, or 

 Beech; or a fence. 



Paths. Substantial paths are desirable, and the best are made 

 with 6 ins. of rubble well rammed in with clinkers and surfaced 

 with 2 ins. of gravel. They should slope from centre to sides to 

 carry off water. 



Soil. The soil should be cultivated deeply and manured liberally. 

 An excellent plan is to take one strip at a time and bastard-trench 



it that is, take off the top soil 

 to the full depth of a spade, 

 break up the soil underneath to 

 the depth of a spade or fork, 

 put on manure and any garden 

 refuse, and replace the top soil. 

 & t ?^~ In the case of light land this 

 3K3s may be done in autumn if con- 

 venient; in the case of heavy 

 land in winter after frost. If 

 the soil is stiff and the site low 

 it ought to be drained (see 

 Drainage). The top soil may 

 be left lumpy, and the late frost will crumble it. It can then be 

 raked down fine for sowing in spring. 



Manure. Decayed stable or yard manure at the rate of 2 barrow- 

 loads per square rod, or 30 loads per acre, will be good. Light, 

 -shallow, dry soil is improved by green manuring that is, sowing 

 Mustard at the rate of 2 Ib. per square rod on ground that becomes 

 vacant in summer, and digging it in during autumn; or winter 

 Tares may be sown at the rate of i4- Ib. per rod in autumn and dug 

 in in spring. A quarter of a pound each of basic slag (superphos- 

 phate for preference on limestone soil) and kainit per square rod 

 may be turned in with the dung. 



Cropping. Many gardeners arrange for a rotation of the annual 

 crops, using different crops on one piece of ground in successive 

 years. It is feasible to have a perfect four-course rotation if the 

 different classes are grown in the same quantities, but not if one class 

 is grown in much larger proportions than another. Given equal 

 proportions the following might follow each other in successive 

 years: (i) Potatoes; (2) Peas, Beans, Celery, and Leeks; (3) Beetroot, 

 Carrots, Parsnips, Salsify, and Scorzonera; (4) Greens and Onions. 

 A tap-rooted crop is a good succession to a fibrous-rooted one. 

 Ground may be heavily manured for Peas, Beans, Celery, Leeks, 

 Greens, and Onions, but not for Potatoes, Beetroot, Carrots, 

 Parsnips, and Tomatoes. Intensive culture provides for quick 

 successions of vegetables, and may be considered in connection 

 with French Gardening (which see) . 



Special remarks on the culture of all the principal vegetables, 

 salads, and herbs are appended. 



Artichoke. There are two distinct kinds grown in gardens, 



