European Agriculture and Rural Economy. 429 



the bottom, the top soil upon the top, while, at the end of the piece trenched, 

 that which was first thrown out must be brought and replaced. The third 

 point particularly attended to is ample manuring. For this object they have 

 always plentiful stores on hand, to be applied as may be desired ; the old 

 hotbeds, when broken up, furnishing large quantities in that decomposed 

 state, in which only is its application safe in respect to many kinds of plants. 

 Manure is sometimes applied in a solid and sometimes in a liquid form. 

 Sometimes, when the ground is dug, the manure is dug in with it ; sometimes 

 it is laid on the surface ; sometimes it is used with every successive crop, 

 at other times with the first crop only : but all these are matters directly 

 dependent upon experience and practice, and which it would be impossible, 

 in such a report as this, particularly to define. Manure, in its coarsest state, 

 is seldom applied to garden vegetables ; and it is found expedient, in respect 

 to liquid manures, to apply them in a diluted and mixed form. The next 

 point aimed at, is to avoid the immediate repetition of the same crop on 

 the same ground ; for, though manure may be had in abundance, yet the 

 second and third crops gradually become deteriorated. Chemistry has not 

 yet determined with precision how this evil, if so it is to be regarded, is to 

 be counteracted. It is strongly hoped that this may be one of its first 

 achievements. Most of what it has yet given us in the case is theory. What 

 we want is practical and efficient rules by which the health and strength of 

 the declining patient may be at once and with certainty recovered. The 

 next object is, to have a succession of crops, one crop often growing be- 

 tween the rows of another, and prepared to take its place as soon as it is re- 

 moved, so that there is no respite of the cultivation, while the season allows 

 of it; and near London, with the help of straw covering, and mats, and 

 glasses, some plants are on the ground all the year. For this object, and 

 to counteract the effect of the seasons, the most extensive preparation is 

 made ; articles are prepared of brush, of matting and straw, and hand- 

 glasses, or boxes with glass tops, and, to guard against insects, boxes with 

 coarse gauze tops are prepared in the greatest abundance, and changes of 

 the temperature and weather are watched with the most sedulous care. Hot 

 and forcing beds, likewise, and conservatories, and hothouses, are made 



ready in the most extensive forms, for the purpose of forwarding plants 

 to be set out at proper seasons, and for the growing of those plants which 

 require artificial heat. Lastly, irrigation is as much as practicable attended to, 

 and engines, and watering-pots, and other contrivances, are in constant requi- 

 sition for these purposes, and as far as they can be applied. The science of 

 gardening is here a substantial science ; and young men are as carefully 

 educated in its various departments as in any of the learned professions, and 

 receive a patronage according to their skill and merit. Under such circum- 

 stances, the market gardens near London are managed with a skill and en- 

 terprise worthy of all praise, and sure of rewards much more substantial. 



The concluding Chapter on Flowers is no less complimen- 

 tary than true. Every where that we travelled, this love of 

 Plants and Flowers surprised and delighted us. 



