56 THE PRACTICAL SIDE OF 



loam, or a rich loam of deep staple resting 

 on a subsoil of clay. Where the soil is 

 unsuitable it may be made in a glass house 

 without much expense, and we cannot do 

 better than recommend the process of the 

 late Mr Baker, once a famous grower at 

 Reigate, who in describing it, said : ' In 

 preparing the beds, we measured a space of 

 4 ft. for the first trench, all subsequent 

 trenches being of the same width; this 

 affords plenty of space for getting sods, 

 manure, etc., in evenly. The top spit, 

 which consists of good old fibrous turf, 

 was then wheeled to the farther end of 

 the bed, and kept separate on one side ; 

 also the next spit below, so as to be at 

 hand for filling up the trench. The bottom 

 spit was taken away as useless, leaving a 

 trench 2 ft. deep. This was filled in in the 

 following manner : at the bottom was 

 placed a layer of yellow clay, some inches 

 deep, so as to retain moisture — the subsoil 

 was gravel — on this a light covering of small 

 chalk, and then about half the sods which 

 constituted the first spit of the next trench, 

 placed turf downwards, and loosely broken 

 up; a thick layer of rotten cow manure was 

 then put on, to which was added a coating 



