8 THE VEGETABLE CULTIVATOR. 



and a half feet deep. Before planting, it should 

 always be trenched to the depth of two feet, and 

 plenty of dung buried at the bottom, as no more 

 can be applied there after the beds are planted. 

 The ground can scarcely be too well manured; for, 

 although the plants naturally grow in a poor, sandy 

 soil, it is found that the sweetness and tenderness 

 of the shoots depend very much on the rapidity of 

 the growth, which can only be promoted by the 

 richness of the soil. 



The ground being well trenched, manured, and 

 levelled, the quarter must now be divided into beds 

 four feet wide, with two feet alleys, as being the 

 most convenient for cutting the shoots and weed- 

 ing, &c. The work should all be done in fine wea- 

 ther, as the ground can he more easily worked, 

 and the planting better performed, than if the 

 ground is wet and cloggy. It is also a good plan 

 to prepare and trench the ground a month or six 

 weeks beforehand. After the beds are marked out, 

 and before the planting commences, a layer of 

 rotten dung should be spread over the beds, and 

 regularly dug in with the spade, taking care to re- 

 ject all the stones which appear, as they are hurtful 

 to the plants, and occasion inconvenience in cutting 

 the buds. 



The beds being prepared, and a strong stake 

 driven in to the depth of two or three feet at each 

 corner ; about the middle of March, if the weather 

 is dry, commence the planting. Take up the plants 

 carefully with a fork from the seed-bed, and expose 

 them to the air as short a time as possible ; and, at 



