Gardening for Amateurs 



949 





? : F. Gfgg, livesha 



General view of a "French" garden at Evesham. 



French or Intensive Gardening 



ONE of the chief considerations in 

 French gardening is the supply of 

 manure. The whole practice of 

 securing winter and early spring salads by 

 this method is based upon a continuous 

 supply of stable dung. The man who sets 

 out to start French gardening must there- 

 fore make sure of a supply of this indispens- 

 able article before deciding to put much 

 capital down. Those who are situated in 

 the immediate vicinity of large towns will 

 probably have less trouble and be put to less 

 expense in this connection than those who 

 have to pay carriage on the manure for fifty 

 miles or more, as some cultivators do. 



The best time to commence securing 

 manure is in September. The fresh stuff 

 should be stacked up in a heap to keep out 

 the weather so far as is possible. The re- 

 quirements in the first season are heavier 

 than in subsequent years ; the year in which 

 a start is made the bill for manure is likely 

 to be heavier than succeeding years. In a 

 well-known French garden one portion, some- 



what under an acre, took seven hundred 

 loads for frames and cloches the first year. 

 In November and December a further supply 

 should be obtained if possible and the fresh 

 manure then be mixed with that in stock. 



Of course it is not always easy to get 

 large quantities as they are required. Then 

 it may be possible to enter into a contract to 

 take so many tons per week at a stated price. 

 Some means must be taken in any case to 

 secure the requisite supply of this material. 

 It should be, moreover, fresh stable litter 

 from straw. 



The beds of manure are made up from 

 15 to 18 inches deep and should be made 

 firm by slightly treading and beating with 

 a fork. The time for doing this is usually 

 early in January, though some growers who 

 desire to produce extra early Lettuces make 

 a beginning early in December. The manure 

 must not be used until some of the rank 

 steam has escaped from the heap, otherwise 

 there will be delay when the lights or glasses 

 are placed over the beds. 



