4 FORMATION OF KITCHEN GARDEN 



any other purpose. Shade is not required, so plant 

 away from the trees. And there is another disadvan- 

 tage, viz., the tree roots rob the soil of that good- 

 ness necessary for the vegetables. 



When possible a good eight or nine feet wall is 

 what is required, and before making the garden visit 

 one or more of the many splendid kitchen gardens 

 that exist in this country. 



'The Soil. When considering the selection of a 

 suitable site for the kitchen garden, bear in mind the 

 importance of having land that either is or can easily 

 be made suitable for the purpose. Soil, however, can 

 be ameliorated by skilful treatment, situation cannot. 

 The best soil for a kitchen garden is a good depth of 

 rich loam, with a porous subsoil that allows superfluous 

 moisture to pass away gradually. Soils in which either 

 clay or gravel greatly preponderates should be avoided, 

 for to bring either into a condition to produce satis- 

 factory crops of vegetables would take a considerable 

 time. Clayey soil has the disadvantage during late 

 autumn, winter and early spring of becoming wet 

 and cold and is therefore altogether unsuitable for 

 the vegetables. Such land is also difficult to till ; it 

 quickly becomes wet and sticky after even a little rain, 

 and to either trench or dig ground when in this con- 

 dition is almost impossible. When dry the masses 

 of soil are hard and crack, making it impossible for 

 roots to live. Gravelly soil also has serious disad- 

 vantages, it is dry and " hungry". To ensure even 

 a moderate crop from it much water and manure are 



