PLANTING 55 



thick, and then be regularly trenched two spades deep, 

 and the dung buried equally in each trench twelve or 

 fifteen inches below the surface. When this trench- 

 ing is done, lay two or three inches of thoroughly 

 rotted manure over the w'hole surface, and dig the 

 ground over again eight or ten inches deep, mixing 

 this top-dressing, and incorporating it well with the 

 earth. 



' ' In family gardens it is customary to divide the 

 ground thus prepared into beds, allowing four feet for 

 every four rows of plants, with alleys two feet and a 

 half wide between each bed. Strain your line along 

 the bed six inches from the edge ; then with a spade 

 cut out a small trench or drill close to the line, about 

 six inches deep, making that side next to the line nearly 

 upright ; when one trench is opened, plant that before 

 you open another, placing the plants upright ten or 

 twelve inches distance in the row, and let every row 

 be twelve inches apart. 



' ' The plants must not be placed flat in the bottom 

 of the trench, but nearly upright against the back of 

 it, and so that the crown of the plants must also stand 

 upright, and two or three inches below the surface of 

 the ground, spreading their roots somewhat regularly 

 against the back of the trench, and at the same time 

 drawing a little earth up against them with the 

 hand as 5'ou place them, just to fix the plants in their 

 due position until the row is planted ; when one row 

 is thus placed, with a rake or hoe draw the earth into 

 the trench over the plants, and then proceed to open 

 .inother drill or trench, as before diredled, and fill and 

 co^'er it in the same manner, and so on uutil the whole 



