XIV FORMATION OF A KITCHEN GARDEN. 



care must be taken to have it well drained ; for un- 

 less this be effectually accomplished, healthy and 

 good vegetables can never be produced. 



In forming a new kitchen-garden, the first thing 

 to be done is to have the land well trenched to the 

 depth of two feet arid a half, if the soil will admit 

 of it. A greater depth is never necessary, indeed, 

 with proper management, a depth of eighteen inches 

 has been found sufficient, and has produced excellent 

 crops. Care and attention are necessary in trench- 

 ing, as, on the proper working at first, the after- 

 good will chiefly depend; and whatever be the 

 depth, whether thirteen or thirty inches, the follow- 

 ing method may be pursued : 



When the first trench (which is generally two 

 feet wide) is thrown out, let the bottom be well 

 picked up to the depth of several inches, and the 

 top spit of the next trench thrown in upon it, break- 

 ing and levelling the whole as the work is proceeded 

 with, and taking care that the bottom of each trench 

 is always carefully broken up, otherwise the subsoil, 

 if hard or much trodden upon, as it must neces- 

 sarily be, will form a sort of trough for the deten- 

 tion of moisture. 



The too deep trenching of land, particularly if it 

 be not good, is attended with ill consequences, as 

 many years will elapse before the buried top spit 

 can again be brought to the surface. 



There are many other ways of trenching land, 

 but the author has always experienced this to be 

 the best, and most economical in the end. 



As to the shape or figure of the garden, this is a 

 point of little consequence though the square, or 



