148 VEGETABLES FOR EXHIBITION 



feet. Bring the bottom spit to the surface, and break 

 up the soil deeply below with a fork. This will re- 

 ceive almost any garden refuse or manure which may 

 come to hand, the longest and greenest being placed in 

 the bottom, throwing on the surface spit, which will in 

 time find its way to the top. Instead of about a foot 

 or in some cases less of workable soil, one will in a 

 short time possess a valuable depth of soil capable of 

 producing good specimens of almost any vegetable. 

 Of course it is essential to make stiff and retentive land 

 light -by working into it suitable material, especially so 

 on the surface after the trenching is completed, such 

 as wood ashes, old mortar rubble, and road scrapings. 

 Stable manure somewhat green should be used in pre- 

 ference to any other on heavy land, and that from 

 horned stock for lighter soils. Light land should be 

 trenched during autumn and winter, but the stiffer 

 soils as much as possible during February and March. 



Rotation of Crops. It is hardly necessary to dwell 

 at any great length on this, as it is generally well 

 understood by all who make any pretence at gardening. 

 The sites for the different crops should be changed as 

 far as possible each year, except in a few cases such as 

 Onions, Shallots, Artichokes and Horse-radish, each 

 of which, provided the ground is well replenished with 

 manure yearly, may be grown on the same land for 

 years. 



duality versus Size. This question has been dis- 

 cussed many times. It does not always follow that 

 size means bad quality. Good judges should be in a 



