Pkb.1 the kitchen garden. 



100 



Choose, however, the best soil you can, according to the situation 

 and extent of your ground, and if it happens to prove unfavourable 

 art must assist; for if it is of a light sandy nature, it may easily 

 be mended by adding a quantity of any kind of rotten or other good 

 dung; and if of a very light, sharp, hungry temperament, earths of 

 stronger substance, such as loam and the like, if it can be easily- 

 obtained, must be added occasionally, along with plenty of dung, 

 working the whole with the natural soil of the garden; and should 

 your garden be of a clayey, cold, damp nature, add light materials, 

 both of rich composts and light sandy soils; nothing is more proper, 

 where it can be had, than plenty of coal ashes, &.c. for opening and 

 warming all tough, stubborn, cold soils. 



Water is a very essential article in a kitchen garden in summer, 

 to water all new transplanted plants and others that cannot subsist 

 without a due supply of moisture during the drought of that season; 

 therefore, in large gardens, where practicable, one or more reser- 

 voirs of water should be contrived in the most convenient part of 

 the ground, either in basins or narrow canals, and supplied with 

 water from some contiguous spring, river, brook, pond, well, &c. 



The necessary space of ground proper for a family kitchen gar- 

 den, may be from about a quarter of an acre, or less, to six or eight 

 acres, or more, according to the appropriated limits of ground, the 

 number and demand of the family, the consumption by sales, or the 

 expense the proprietor would choose to bestow on the making and 

 general culture. A kitchen garden of an acre will nearly employ 

 one man, especially if it be furnished with espalier and other fruit 

 trees, and so in proportion to a garden of smaller or larger extent: 

 a garden of the above size will produce a very plentiful supply of 

 esculent herbage and fruit sufficient at least for a family of ten or 

 fifteen persons; but on large estates, and where the family is con- 

 siderable in proportion, and not limited to space of ground three or 

 four acres of kitchen garden may be necessary; and some very large 

 families have them of six or eight acres extent. 



If the produce is intended for sale, the garden must be large in 

 proportion to the demand. 



Fences for inclosing the Ground. 



With respect to fences for inclosing the ground, it is most neces- 

 sary to have an effectual fence of some sort around the kitchen - 

 garden, both for security of the produce and to defend tender and 

 early crops from cutting winds. 



Previous to fencing the ground, the proper shape or form for the 

 garden is to be considered; the most eligible form for a kitchen- 

 garden is that either of a square or oblong square; but the figure 

 may be varied as the necessity of the case may require; keeping, 

 however, as near as possible to the square or oblong form, espe- 

 cially if the ground is to be fenced with materials for training fruit 

 trees; no other shape answers so well for that purpose; for trial 

 having been made of circles, ovals, semicircles, angles, &c. , none 

 succeed near so well as the square form. 



