THE GARDENER'S ASSISTANT. 



jurious action of what remains may be wholly 

 or partly counteracted by repeated dressings of 

 lime or chalk. By such means the subsoil may 

 be greatly improved; but in all cases where it 

 is not naturally good, or not completely sealed 

 by concrete or other substances from the access 

 of roots, the top-soil should be made so deep 

 that there may be plenty of good nourishment 

 for the plants without their roots having to 



seek deep down in the subsoil after that which 

 is indifferent or bad. 



3. Size. — The size of a garden depends on 

 various circumstances, but it should be in pro- 

 portion to the capacitjr of the mansion and the 

 number of its inhabitants, so as to afford an 

 ample supply of fruit and vegetables. In esti- 

 mating the proper size of a kitchen garden, it 

 has to be borne in mind that the whole of the 



Yard 

 Pits, Frames, etc.. 



HH I 3 | M |„| ,6 | [ 



20 I 2i T 



VINERY AND 



4 5 _6 7__ 8 J 9 ! io 



~ V (T * 1 PEACH H O U S E BORDERS 



2 for Carts etc 



\ r 



GOOSEBERI 



iS, CURRANTS (wall 



f E A C II E 



AND A 



Scale: ioo feet to i inch.— 



■480'- 



Fig. 7P9.— Plan for a large Kitchen-Garden. 1-23, Houses, Sheds, Boiler-house, &c. 



working establishment of the garden department 

 is usually included within its precincts, and it 

 is therefore necessary to provide room for glass 

 structures of various descriptions, offices, stores, 

 yards, and other conveniences, as well as for 

 residences for the head and under gardeners. 

 The space required for these in well-organized 

 gardens is generally about one -third of the 

 whole enclosed area, which should be sur- 

 rounded by a substantial vermin-proof fence. 

 In regard to the area required to supply an 

 establishment regularly throughout the year 

 with abundance of first-rate fruit and vege- 

 tables, a general rule is to allow an acre of 

 well-cultivated ground for every twelve grown- 

 up persons to be supplied. On good soils, and 

 under skilful management, this allowance will 

 be found to be ample, especially where the main 

 crop of potatoes is grown on the farm. 



In some instances the slips outside the garden 



may be of considerable extent ; or, on account of 

 the boundaries, or of arrangements connected 

 with pleasure-grounds, they may be more or less 

 limited on one or other of the sides. These cir- 

 cumstances will accordingly require to be taken 

 into consideration when determining the extent 

 of the area to be enclosed by walls. In the 

 colder parts of the country, and especially 

 where the situation is rather high and exposed 

 to cold winds, the walled-in garden ought to be 

 proportionately larger, shelter being, under these 

 circumstances, required for many productions 

 which in milder climates could be grown in the 

 field or open garden. If there is an orchard to 

 supply the hardier fruits, the garden may be 

 much less than where fruits will scarcely grow 

 except on walls. 



By a system of intense cultivation and close 

 cropping, a large quantity of vegetables may be 

 grown in a comparatively small space. Vege- 



