THE KITCHEN GARDEN. 



29> 



the surface soil from being sunburnt subsequent!)-, 

 and retains tlie artificial moisture applied during 

 very arid periods. 



All heavy adhesive soils— and these usually have 

 for base impervious and heavier subsoils — must be 

 properly drained to insure to them all the fertility 

 possible. Such drainage diif ers in practice greatly, 

 both as to depth and nature of subsoil and contour of 

 the immediate area to be operated on and its sur- 

 roundings. Where about two feet in depth of upper 

 soil exists, and then a clay subsoil, this latter, called 

 sometimes a " pan," through which superficial 

 waterings do not pass, is sometimes of moderate 

 depth only, before a coarser material is found, through 

 which water will percolate. Under such conditions 

 it is well to trench the ground over down to this 



Pig. 1.— Artinhoke. 



subsoil, clearing it effectively of soil, and to then 

 break it up by digging and turning it over at the 

 bottom of the trench, before it is filled in with the 

 succeeding layer of soil. When broken up it is 

 excellent practice to throw in any kind of coarse or 

 green manurial matter before any soil is put therein. 

 In all instances where the surface soil is of less or 

 equal depth, and the subsoil is too deep for such a 

 process as this to be followed, an occasional drain 

 laid in across the ground down upon such surface of 

 subsoil will prove very advantageous. Where the 

 roots of fruit-trees do not exist, or are not likely to 

 find their way into such drain-pipes, large sizes need 

 not be used ; two-inch and three-inch pipes will 

 suffice admirably, the larger size being best adapted 

 for large areas only. 



The superficial " working '' of all stiff soil differs 

 greatly from such as have already been described. 

 Too much culture cannot well be given to these lat- 

 ter in season. Trenching and manuring — that is, 

 placing layer after layer of the latter as each trench 

 progresses — is admirable. The merit of such a 



practice is readily seen when it is understood that 

 many minor-sized products root very deeply. For 

 instance, the onion often protrudes its roots down 

 to a depth of at least six feet. Strawberries root 

 deeply also, to say nothing of parsnips, long oar- 

 rots, and permanent crops of brassica, pea tribes, 

 &c. In a word, aU such plants root more or less 

 deeply, according as natural roadways or feeding- 

 grounds exist, throughout which they are enabled to 

 travel more or less freely. 



In the case of heavy soils, working them up, 

 whether by trenching or the more generally appli- 

 cable practice of digging and forking, aerates and 

 ameliorates their heavy, too-binding, cohesive, mois- 

 ture-retaining characteristics during rainy periods, 

 and so excessive in moist seasons, and the harsh. 



Fig. 2. —Section, a, 



leaves ; b, the " clioke ; '' c, tlie 

 bottom. 



hardness prevalent during arid ones. Unlike light 

 soils, therefore, these last cannot be worked too 

 freely or too frequently, and, save in one particular 

 instance, too immediately before actual cropping 

 takes place ; this exception being, digging them up 

 when dry during an arid period for the purpose of 

 planting upon immediately. In such a case it is 

 preferable to wait for at least some quantit)"^ of rain 

 to fall before the operation is undertaken. Frost 

 being so great an ameliorating agent, it is essential 

 that all such soils be turned up during the winter 

 months. This should be done as roughly as possible, 

 in ridges or otherwise, so as to expose the largest 

 surface possible thereto, as the more this is frozen 

 during the winter, so much the readier will it work - 

 in the spring, and the smoother it wiU be when 

 required for the reception of crops. 



Many intermediate substances may be usefullj- 

 applied and added to heavy soils with great and 

 lasting advantage, comprising sands, road-scrapings, 

 burnt earth, &c. All kinds of manure are also 

 especially advantageous in this respect, quite apart 



