Laying-out and Cropping. 55 



Across the north side of the enclosed portion, within the 

 shelter of the trees, is a border for early spring crops. This 

 position admits full sunshine and secures whatever shelter 

 from the cold north winds the trees and bushes can give, but 

 to make the protection effective a row of straw-covered hurdles 

 should be placed along the north side of the bed until the 

 weather becomes mild. 



On the east side about a quarter of an acre is filled with such 

 crops as asparagus, seakale, rhubarb, and artichokes. 



On the south-west corner a cottage with flower garden, out- 

 buildings, packing shed, &c., are shown abutting on the high 

 road ; these take up about a quarter acre. The frame ground 

 or French garden takes another quarter, whilst a quarter is 

 allotted to seed beds, plant beds, herb beds, the early border 

 and paths. The advantage of this arrangement is that the 

 gardener's cottage is in the midst of all the things which are 

 likely to require his personal attention at a moment's notice, 

 whilst the west side of the holding has the advantage of 

 catching the first rays of the morning sun. 



A plot of one-and-a-half acres is thus left in an open and 

 sunny position, but protected on three sides from cold winds; 

 this is intended for vegetable crops. The plot is divided into 

 three sections of half an acre each. One of these sections will 

 each year in turn be bastard trenched and heavily dressed with 

 farmyard manure at the rate of from thirty to fifty tons per 

 acre, according to the nature of the land. The remaining two 

 sections will be dug or ploughed in the ordinary manner, the 

 one which was double dug and manured the previous year 

 receiving a dressing of ground lime, and that which received 

 lime the previous year now getting fertilizers, in kind and 

 quantity as required by the individual crops. This rotation of 

 cultivation will, of course, not be complete until the third year, 

 and as a preliminary, before the rotation is begun, the whole of 

 the ground must be well manured, giving only thoroughly 

 decayed stuff to the sections reserved for roots. 



A system of cropping suitable to the suggested cultivation 

 is shown in the Plans appearing at the end of this chapter, 

 each of which gives the cropping of the same plot in the 

 first, second, and third years respectively. On each plot there 



