KITCHEN-GARDEN 
CHAPTER XXVII. 
KITCHEN-GARDEN VEGETABLES. 
The position, formation, and general treat- 
ment of the Kitchen Garden are dealt with in 
Vol. Il. Chapter I. The present chapter deals 
with the plants usually grown in the Kitchen 
Garden and popularly known as Vegetables and 
Herbs. Tomatoes and Cucumbers, although 
classed as vegetables, have been dealt with in 
separate chapters. 
The uses of the plants, their cultural require- 
ments, and, in some cases, their preparation for 
the table are given. The list of varieties is in 
most cases distinctly selective. It is scarcely 
worth while to attempt to describe each variety 
for purposes of identification, but any decidedly 
useful and distinctive characters are given. Nor 
is it considered worth while to give the sy- 
nonyms, in some cases very numerous, of the 
varieties. ‘The names here preferred are those 
that are in general use among English culti- 
vators and seedsmen. 
CROPPING THE KITCHEN GARDEN. 
It is well known that the same kind of crop 
cannot as a rule be successfully grown on the 
same ground for several consecutive years. 
Farmers know that if land be too frequently 
cropped with Clover, it becomes what is termed 
Clover-sick, and fails to produce good Clover 
till after a rest of several years. So much is 
this the case that in some districts two rotations 
intervene before the ground is again sown with 
Clover. 
Various theories have been formed as to the 
causes which render the rotation or alternation 
of crops necessary. Some plants contain a 
greater amount of certain mineral substances 
than others; for instance, some require potash 
or soda, some lime, others phosphoric acid, 
others silica, and soon. This being the case, 
it is evident that it would be beneficial to cause 
one crop requiring only a small quantity of 
any particular inorganic substance, to succeed 
another requiring that substance in large 
amount. Such is the explanation of the bene- 
ficial results attendant on the rotation of crops, 
but in practice results at variance with its con- 
clusions are sometimes obtained. Crops requir- 
ing a large amount of a certain mineral food 
are found to succeed if planted immediately 
after other crops that are known to require the 
same food in nearly equal quantities. More- 
Vou. IL. 
VEGETABLES. 389 
over, by merely restoring the inorganic matters 
abstracted from the soil by any crop, we do 
not fit it for the immediate production of other 
crops of the same kind. 
The reader should refer to Vol. I. Chapter 
XIV. for information on Soil and its properties, 
tillage, We. 
The necessity of a change of crops, whatever 
be the reason, being undoubted, it remains to 
point out what are the general rules which 
are found the best in practice. These are as 
follow :— 
1. Plants of the same natural order should 
not succeed each other. 
2. Crops which occupy the ground for several 
years should be succeeded by others of short 
duration; thus, Asparagus or Strawberries may 
be followed by Cabbages or Lettuces. 
3. Plants grown for their roots or bulbs should 
not be succeeded by others grown for the same 
purpose; neither should plants grown for their 
seeds follow each other. 
The above rules apply to all systems of ro- 
tation, but it is impossible to recommend any 
particular course of cropping as the best, as this 
depends upon the quality of the soil, the manure 
at command, size of garden, and products re- 
quired. The market-gardeners round London, 
who may justly be considered our best kitchen- 
gardeners, adopt no particular system of rota- 
tion. They manure highly, trench frequently, and 
plant any crop that is fit for planting out when 
the ground becomes vacant. In doing so, how- 
ever, they follow, as far as practicable, the rules 
just given. 
Two modes of cropping are adopted in gardens. 
| The first may be termed separate cropping, the 
second simultaneous cropping. In the former, 
the ground is only occupied by one crop at a 
time; in the latter, by several. For instance, 
summer Spinach may be sown between the rows 
of Peas and Beans, Radishes along with Carrots, 
or Lettuces together with Onions, or planted 
between the rows of Celery, &c. 
With regard to the comparative merits of 
these two modes of cropping there is much 
difference of opinion. The finest productions are 
undoubtedly obtained by the separate system; 
whilst a greater weight of produce of all sorts, 
but generally of inferior quality, is obtained by 
the simultaneous mode. To carry out the latter 
properly, the soil must be rich and frequently 
manured; whilst by the other mode, good vege- 
tables may be grown without so much manure. 
On the whole, the separate mode of cultivation 
is best for large gardens; simultaneous cropping 
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