KITCHEN GARDEN. 



KITCHEN GARDEN. 



on the contrary, a superfluity or deficiency, 

 according to the season, being then afforded, 

 decay or immaturity is induced. 



There are many other contingencies which 

 should regulate the rotation of crops. The 

 roots of different, plants strike in different di- 

 rections, and to different depths ; and, as their 

 constituents vary, absorb different matters. 

 Deep-rooted plants, therefore, should be suc- 

 ceeded by such as spread but a little below the 

 surface; perennials always by annuals; crops 

 left for seed, or those that are of a dry, solid 

 texture, by such as are succulent and juicy ; 

 but, above all, the same species of plant should 

 never be grown in successive crops upon the 

 same ground. This is not even palliated by 

 the excuse that manure is abundant, for, as 

 Sir H. Davy observes, "though the general 

 composition of plants is very analogous, yet 

 the specific difference in the products of many 

 of them prove that they must derive different 

 materials from the soil ; and though the vege- 

 tables having the smallest systems of leaves 

 will proportionably most exhaust a soil of com' 

 mon nutritive matter, yet particular vegetables, 

 when their produce is carried off, will require 

 peculiar principles to be supplied to the land 

 which produces them." (Led. on Jlgr. Chem. 

 p. 358.) It is known to every cultivator of 

 soil, that land soon becomes tired of the same 

 crop ; m many instances, peculiar diseases are 

 induced by the repetition. The most beneficial 

 plan of rotation appears to be that where an 

 exhausting and non-exhausting crop alterna- 

 tely succeed each other, for example, 



Onions.. Turnips. 



Lettuce. Peas. 



Carrots. Potatoes. 



Manure. Manure. 



Mr. Kelly, of Airthrey Castle, Scotland, says, 

 that on poor ground the rotation he finds best 

 is, 1st, celery; 2d season, cauliflowers, and red 

 beet ; 3d, onions ; 4th, German greens or peas. 

 By digging deep, and manuring abundantly for 

 celery, the ground is brought into such fine 

 tilth, that the whole rotation is often gone 

 through without any further addition, and with- 

 out failing in any of the crops. 



A Hotbed will be found useful for forwarding 

 several kinds of vegetables early in spring. In 

 it tomatoes, egg-plants, peppers, , early bush 

 squashes, and cucumber plants may be raised, 

 and planted out as soon as the danger of frost 

 if- over. The best material for a hotbed is fer- 

 menting stable manure, which may be mixed 

 with a portion of cow manure or leaves, and 

 turned over two or three times, at intervals of 

 ft or 6 days, before using. If dry, give it a 

 little water at each turning. The frame may 

 be made of strong boards or two-inch plank, 

 about 1 foot high at front, and 1 foot at back. 

 The width from back to front may be about 6 

 feet, and the length of any number of sashes 

 that may be required. The sashes may be 

 glazed with small glass from 5 to 10 inches. 

 The smaller sizes will answer every purpose, 

 are cheaper, and not so liable to break. 

 Having fixed upon the size of the frame, and a 

 sneltered situation in which to make the bed, 

 place a stake at each corner of it, allowing a 

 f?w inches larger each way than the frame. 

 686 



The manure must be well shaken up and tho- 

 roughly mixed, and, in building, the bed regu- 

 larly beaten down with the fork or lightly 

 trodden, and if at all dry, well sprinkled with 

 water. If wanted for early forcing, the bed 

 should be at least 4$ feet high ; if for starting 

 vegetables 2 feet will be sufficient. The frame 

 and sashes may then be put on, and in three or 

 four days 8 or 10 inches of good light earth 

 may be put in, and the seed sown. Squashes 

 and cucumbers will do best in pots. A pot of 

 4 to 5 inches in diameter will be large enough 

 for three plants. Tomatoes, egg-plants, and 

 peppers may be sown over the bed, and after- 

 wards thinned to regular distances. Early 

 cabbages, cauliflowers, celery, and lettuce may 

 be raised in the same way, and afterwards 

 planted where wanted. But should the man- 

 agement of the hotbed be attended with too 

 much trouble or expense, 



The Frame can be used with much advantage, 

 as in it plants can be raised and kept safe 

 from frosts long before they would bear ex- 

 posure in the open air. The frame may be set 

 on the ground on the south side of the fence, 

 and if the earth is rich and light, or made so, 

 the seeds may be sown broadcast over a space 

 allotted to each kind, and afterwards thinned 

 out to proper distances. Lima beans may be 

 started in this way, and transplanted before 

 they attain to any great size. The frame is 

 also useful for preserving cabbage, cauliflower, 

 and lettuce plants during winter, for planting 

 in the spring; as well as cabbages, lettuce, and 

 celery for family use. A few leaves or litter 

 put among the vegetables will aid materially 

 in excluding the frost, and a shutter and mat 

 must be put over the sashes in severe weather. 



Our object hi this article is to give a con- 

 densed view of the common operations in the 

 kitchen garden, as adapted to the United States, 

 with a list of such varieties of the different 

 species of vegetables as have been cultivated in 

 this country, and can be had from the princi- 

 pal seedsmen in Boston, New York, and Phi- 

 ladelphia.* Several articles are omitted, which 

 obtain a place in some gardens, but these are 

 either thought not to deserve a place, or to be- 

 long more properly to field culture. Fuller 

 information on any particular subject can al- 

 ways be found under the proper head in the 

 alphabetical arrangement. 



ASPAIIAGUS (Asparagus officinalis). Sow early 

 in the spring; having previously soaked the 

 seed in warm water for 24 hours, then drill it 

 thinly, in rows sufficiently wide apart to admit 

 the hoe ; when two years old, transplant into 

 permanent beds, which should be so situate as 

 to cast off an excess of moisture, and having 

 the soil prepared to the depth of two feet with 

 plenty of manure under. A convenient width 

 for the beds is four feet. The plants should 

 be placed 12 inches apart in each direction; 

 planted at least 4 inches beneath the surface; 

 well manured at the time, and annually there- 

 after. If planted in rows, they should be 2 

 feet apart. Common salt scattered over the 

 bed in the winter operates favourably in im- 



* In compiling this article, we would hers acknowledge 

 our obligations to the excellent catalogue of D. Lan- 

 dreth <fc Co. of Philadelphia. 



