THE KITCHEN GARDEN. 



107 



■when forcing operations are carried on, often cause 

 much litter and untidiness around. 



The vegetable garden would prove, apart from all 

 considerations of necessity, of somewhat iminterest- 

 ing contour without the addition of a hmited number 

 of trained fruit-trees beyond such as are grown 

 against the walls. Thus, adjoining or skirting the 

 walks, espalier trees should be planted, at about 

 three feet distance from the two sides, with, if need 

 be, a row of dwarf-trained or cordon Apples midway 

 between these and the walk. Space so occupied 

 reduces the main quarters considerably in extent, 

 bringing them into convenient size for working. 

 Either stakes or a neat iron-wire fence will be 

 needful upon which to train such espaliers. Im- 

 mediately on the inner sides, therefore, will be a 

 suitable space for the formation of alleys, which are 

 convenient both for the culture of the quarters 

 and for training the fruit-trees. Frequently dwarf 

 pyramidal fruit-trees are planted in preference to 

 espaliers ; and where dwarf cordons are dispensed 

 with, such minor spaces are conveniently devoted to 

 the growth of herbs, &c. 



The width of the main quarters should in no case 

 be less than twelve or fourteen feet ; but if double 

 this size it will be preferable. Wall borders are 

 generally found to be of advantageous width when 

 they equal the height of the wall. By this means, 

 also, the roots of wall-fruit trees have an opportunity 

 to extend in size, equal to the branches, when the 

 latter reach the toj) of the wall. 



Fruit-trees, on the above hypotheses, being very 

 essential furniture in kitchen gardens, to carry out 

 the matter very efficiently in all detail wiU neces- 

 sitate special preparation or adaptation of soils to 

 difEerent kinds of fruits. Thus, for wall borders 

 wherein Peach, Nectarine, and Apricot-trees are to 

 be grown, the soil should consist of a porous loam, 

 comprising one part sandy loam, and three parts 

 sound fibrous maiden loam from a pasturage, well 

 mixed together. Such a mixture or compost will 

 prove ultimately, when manure of a good and well- 

 decomposed kind is also added and forked into it, 

 very excellent for early crops of tender vegetables 

 and salads, to which reference is made under the 

 proper headings. Apples, Cherries, and Apricots 

 require a somewhat stifier loam ; in their case the 

 sandy soil above referred to need not be added. 

 Currants and Gooseberries delight in soil of a some- 

 what stiflE nature also, but with a very abundant 

 supply of manure intermixed. 



Thus will different portions of the garden and 

 varying aspects require such a variety of soils, for 

 such furniture as described, as will, with foresight 

 and care, within even a limited area, suffice to grow 

 aU descriptions of vegetables upon, on the lines or 



suggestions which wiU attach to each separate l<ind 

 when treated of subsequently. In a few gardens, 

 of course, especially such as are upon undulating 

 ground, something in the way of such variety may 

 already exist. Where this is not so, however, it is 

 highly desirable, when forming the garden, to as far 

 as possible give such variations. 



Walks and Edgings. — Walks are an impor- 

 tant feature, both from considerations of ornament 

 and utility, but are more fully dealt with in separate 

 articles. 



The Cultural Treatment of the Soil during 

 all subsequent time is a very important factor in 

 connection with the maintenance of a garden in a 

 highly fertile state. Arable or kitchen garden land, 

 being in such an artificial state, must be employed 

 in fuU activity, or this fertility cannot be main- 

 tained. It may not be overgrown with weeds ; and 

 to have it lying indifferently, even with the surface 

 clean, is to engender sourness, owing to excess of 

 humus within it. All parts therefore must, under- 

 such a system of culture, be turned up as soon as- 

 possible after the removal of any crop ; the action of 

 the air will thereby sustain its proper sweetness. 

 Such parts as are under crops will in like manner he- 

 supported thus by the action of the roots. 



In old gardens the surface soil often becomes poor, 

 the roots of the limited number of kindred plants 

 gTOwn having deprived it greatly of the particular - 

 class of nutriment adapted to their own particular 

 wants. Under these conditions a studied system of 

 occasional trenching should be followed, in such 

 manner that all large quarters devoid of fruit-trees- 

 and fruit-tree roots should be alternately dug and. 

 trenched to a depth of two feet, then to a depth of 

 three feet, &c. Thus will the poor and most ex- 

 hausted surface soil be deposited below ; the bottom 

 spit thereby placed upon the surface wiU contain 

 new food for root-growth, and prove very advan- 

 tageous to the crops grown upon it. Furthermore, 

 such old worn soils as exist in these old gardens 

 will be greatly aided by the addition of fresh loams. 

 Such an addition, given in liberal quantities, would 

 suffice, when properly mixed up with the older soil, 

 somewhat in heu of the supply of manure usually 

 given at certain seasons. 



Manuring or Enriching kitchen gardens 

 must not be performed thoughtlessly and without 

 judgment. The variety or quality of the soil in each 

 separate garden should be well studied and treated. 

 Its peculiar constituents indicate what is really 

 necessary. Very light stony grounds, known often, 

 as "hungry grounds," are an exception to a general. 



