480 Systems of cropping Kitchen-Gardens. 



shade of others, they will be materially injured both in quality 

 and quantity ; though, at the same time, while they are merely 

 germinating, shade will not injure them. Hence, successional 

 cropping may be carried on in breadths of 20 ft. or 30 ft., between 

 rows of tall-growing articles, without injury; which approximates 

 this manner of cropping to the simultaneous mode, which, where- 

 ever the soil is rich, is by far the most profitable. 



The simultaneous Mode of Cropping is founded on the princi- 

 ples, that most plants, when germinating, and for some time 

 afterwards, thrive best in the shade; and that tall-growing plants, 

 which require to receive the light on each side, should be sown, 

 or planted, at some distance from each other. Hence, tall- 

 growing peas are sown in rows 10 ft. or 12 ft. apart; and between 

 them are planted rows of the cabbage tribe; and, again, between 

 these are sown rows of spinach, lettuce, or radishes, &c. Hence, 

 also, beans are planted in the same rows with potatoes or with 

 cabbages (an old practice in the cottage-gardens of Scotland); 

 and so on. The great object, in this kind of cropping, is, to have 

 crops on the ground, in different stages of growth ; so that, the 

 moment the soil and the surface are released from one crop, 

 another may be in an advanced state, and ready, as it were, to 

 supply its place. For this purpose, whenever one crop is re- 

 moved, its place ought to be instantly supplied by plants adapted 

 for producing another crop of the proper nature to succeed it. 

 For example, where rows of tall marrowfat peas have rows of 

 broccoli between them, then, the moment the peas are removed, 

 a trench for celery may be formed where each row of peas stood; 

 and between the rows of broccoli, in the places where lettuces 

 were produced early in the season, may be sown drills of winter 

 spinach. 



Permanent Cropping is the simplest of all modes, and requires 

 no farther explanation than what has been given in treating of 

 the subject of cropping generally. 



Of these three modes of cropping, the first is the one best 

 calculated for poor soils, or for gardens where the supply of 

 manure is limited ; the second cannot be prosecuted with suc- 

 cess, except in soils which are light and extremely rich ; and 

 the third cannot be considered as influenced by the soil. It may 

 be proper to observe here, that a system of cropping can be 

 carried to a much higher degree of perfection in a commercial 

 garden, on a large scale, than in a private one ; because in the 

 former, whenever one crop is in perfection, it is removed, and 

 sent to market at once ; whereas, in a private garden, it is re- 

 moved by driblets. Hence, in small gardens, where labour and 

 manure are of less consequence than economising the extent of 

 surface, it will often be found desirable to have a small reserve 

 garden, with several frames, pots, and other requisites. As soon 



