AMERICAN GARDENER. 19 



manured, in order to make it equal to the old top 

 soil ; which object is, however, very soon ac- 

 complished, if the proper means be made use 

 of. 



26. The ground being trenched, in October, 

 ought to be well 'manured at (oft with good ivell- 

 rotted dung, or with soafi-boiler's ashes, or some 

 other good manure ; and this might be ploughed, 

 or dug, in shallowly. Before the frost is gone in 

 the spring, another good coat of manure should 

 t>e put on ; well-rotted manure from the yard ; 

 ashes ; or, rather, if ready, from a good com- 

 *iost. Then, when the frost is gone, the ground 

 will be instantly fit for digging and planting ; and, 

 it will bear almost any thing that can be put 

 into it. 



27. Thus will the ground be prefiared; and here 

 I close my directions with regard to the nature 

 and preparation of the soil. But, it seems ne- 

 cessary to add a few words on the subject of ma- 

 nures as adapted to a garden. It is generally 

 thought, and, I believe, truly, that dung, of any 

 sort, is not what ought to be used in the raising 

 of garden vegetables. It is very certain, that 

 they are coarse and gross when produced with aid 

 of that sort of manure, compared to what they 

 are when raised with the aid of ashes, lime, rags, 

 and comjiosts. And, besides, dung, in hot soils 

 and hot climates, adds to the heat; while ashes, 

 lime, rags and composts do not; but, on the 

 contrary, they attract, and cause the earth to 

 retain, moisture. 



28. All the ground in a garden ought always 

 to be good ; and it will be kept in this state if it 

 be well manured once every year. Perhaps it will 



