1 14 THE KITCHEN GARDEN. [Feb. 



As to manure — any kind of dung, or compost of dung and earth, 

 is proper; and if this could be suited to the nature of the soil, it 

 would be of greater advantage, that is, for ground of a strong, 

 heavy, cold nature, have for manure a compost of well-rotted dung, 

 ashes, or any sandy earths; and if light sandy ground have the 

 moistest sort of dung and heavy earths; though any kind of well- 

 rotted dung will suit as proper manure for almost every soil, but 

 none better than the dung of old hotbeds, which is the most com- 

 mon manure in kitchen gardens, being horse-stable dung, first 

 used in hot-beds, where it becomes rotted to a soft, moist tempera- 

 ment of an extremely enriching quality, and suits almost all kinds 

 of soil and plants, or some of the same quality from dung-hills is 

 equally eligible; but well-rotted neat's dung is also very good, par- 

 ticularly for light grounds; or a compost of different kinds, as 

 horse dung, neat's dung, hogs' dung, farm-yard dung, or mulch, 

 ashes, lime-rubbish broken small, sawdust, rotten tan, having all 

 lain together till well rotted, will make excellent compost manure. 



The manuring or dunging the ground may be necessary every 

 year or two; for all crops being of an exhausting nature in every 

 soil, the vegetative vigour of the soils must be supported accord- 

 ingly by a proper application of manure; but once every two or 

 three years, at farthest, the ground in general will want amend- 

 ment; though, where there is plenty of dung, give it as far as it 

 will go everv year, especially for the principal crops, such as 

 onions, cauliflowers, cabbages, &c. ; for as the different crops 

 exhaust the soil, the addition of dung fertilizes and renews it, 

 which when duly applied in proper quantities, the various crops 

 will not only be much finer but arrive to earlier perfection than in 

 poor starved ground. 



But for some particular crops, ground which has been well ma- 

 nured the year before, will be more eligible than if immediately 

 fresh dunged the same year; such as for some of the long fusiform- 

 rooted kinds, as canols and parsneps, &c, unless the dung is 

 perfectly rotted, mellow and mouldy, that these long roots can 

 readily make their way straight through in their perpendicular, 

 downward growth; for when the dung manure is rank or lumpy, it 

 is very apt to impede the young descending radicle, and occasion 

 the main root to fork or grow crooked, more especially the carrots, 

 which also in some fresh dunged ground are sometimes apt to 

 canker. 



All manuring should generally be performed in winter or spring, 

 to be dug in at the general annual digging, taking opportunity of 

 frosty or very dry weather to wheel in the dung for the principal 

 manuring, as it may then be performed more easy and clean with- 

 out clogging or spoiling the walks, or tearing up the ground; 

 laying it in heaps by barrovvfulls at equal distances: afterwards 

 spread it evenly, and dig it in one spade deep or more. 



In regard to cropping the ground, the proper situation for, and 

 method of raising the different plants, is fully explained in the 

 different months under their respective heads; I will therefore 

 only hint here, that it is eligible to allot the driest, warmest, and 



