106 



CASSELL'S POPULAR GARDENING. 



THE KITCHEN GAEDEN. 



By William Eaeley. 



SHAPE, DISPOSITION, AND FURNISHING. 

 The Shape or Form. — The shape or form of the 

 kitchen garden often varies of necessity, in accordance 

 with the extent of ground, &c, ; but where a given 

 space can be set a^^art for it, I consider an oblong 

 square with the corners taken off is far the best for 

 wall-fruit culture, for securing the largest number 

 and extent of good aspects, both for tender border 

 vegetables and for wall-fruits ; to say nothing of the 

 fact that the deeply-shaded, valueless, and extremeh' 

 ngiy corners connected with high square walls arc 

 entirely neutralised. It is full time, however, that 

 old notions and practices in connection with the 

 matter were exploded, once for all. If an oblong 

 with its corners taken off is better than the old 

 square, an ellipse would certainly exceed in utilit}^ 

 the latter, and there can be little or no reason why 

 such walls cannot be so built. By this means sun- 

 shine . would be more general on the least sunny 

 aspects, and a more general diffusion of indirect 

 light be always insured. A merging of the ad- 

 vantages possessed by individual as]Dects will be 

 secured, to the disadvantage of none. Indeed, such 

 an arrangement will be to tlie especial advantage of 

 winter, early, and tender vegetable crops. By the 

 simple process of squaring the walk around- the 

 outsides, more extensive space at the better parts 

 will be assured. East and west will be brighter, 

 and the northern aspect less dark and dull, without 

 interference with the centre, or main shape inter- 

 nally. The larger " quarters " should be square, 

 walks being made centrally east to west and north 

 to south, traversing each other centrally ; other, or 

 duplicate walks, as required ; where large gardens 

 exist, being so arranged as to maintain the divisions 

 of quarters in square form also. Finally, whatever 

 shape be em]Dloyed for the chief wall, which should 

 not be less than twelve feet high, I again advise, 

 in preference to the accustomed practice, that the 

 aspect selected be one south-east, as against that 

 of south, commonly employed. The morning and 

 full-day Sim will act more beneficially throughout 

 the day on the former than on the latter choice 

 of aspect. 



The Disposition and Furnishing The 



disposition and furnishing of the kitchen garden 

 follow readily on the " maj)ping," cr pegging out, 

 of the pathways. A favourable addition to the sur- 

 face soil is first made by wheeling the soil from 

 out the walk-spaces thereon, removing a depth of 

 at least one foot of such soil to make ready for the 

 walk-constructive materials proper. As the entrance 



into this area will be, as pre\aously intimated, from 

 convenient centres and a back way, ample opportunity 

 will be given for carting in rough materials for the 

 base of the walk, and all manure and other such 

 correctives, already described, as may be needful, 

 all of which should be performed whilst the walks 

 are in the roughly-prepared but unfinished state. 



It is desirable, either by the aid of the soil re- 

 moved from the walk-spaces, or by carting in good 

 yellow fibrous loam from some pasturage, to afford 

 more favourable root-soil to wall-fruit trees and 

 tender crops to be grown at their base ; and also so 

 elevate these side borders as to give them a nice 

 slope from the wall-base towards the walk. The 

 roots of choice fruits planted thus on an elevation 

 above the mean ground-level, always give increased 

 favourable results. 



Having planned out the main walks, which are 

 essential to all gardens, not alone in matter of ap- 

 pearance but also jDractical utility, it will then be 

 easier to observe whether any subsidiary or minor 

 cross-walks are necessary. The fact must not be 

 overlooked that an excess of walks deprives the 

 garden of much valuable room, and that for main 

 crops in bulk, goodly-sized quarters are needful. 

 Besides, so-called alleys can be made at "vvill, 

 periodically or otherwise, according to the season> 

 able crops grown and the cultural attention they 

 require, be it more or less. The fact must not be 

 overlooked that free access to all parts of the garden 

 and all crops, both for culture and subsequent 

 gathering, is of the utmost importance, especially 

 during seasons of rain, &c., without which work 

 cannot be done so rapidl}^ and well, and the main 

 walks cannot be maintained clean and in good order. 

 A^Tiilst, therefore, the main, open, and best quarters 

 should be retained for the best main-crop v egetables, 

 side-slips or irregular spaces, which exist in most 

 gardens, are devoted to bush-fruits, such as currants, 

 gooseberries, tfcc. The fact that an eligible sunny 

 site must be set apart to the formation of a frame- 

 ground, and sheds, to say nothing of sea-kale, 

 rhubarb, &c., which should be contiguous to the 

 frame-ground and the entrance whence manures are 

 carted in, often causes such irregular slips, even 

 where square spaces have to be dealt with. These 

 are increased in instances where glass structures, 

 pits, &c., all so desirable for winter work, are added 

 to the whole. 



Where the extent of wall is limited, surrounding- 

 ground can be utilised for this purpose, in the form 

 of a " slip," or addition to the main garden. When- 

 ever it is convenient to utilise a space of ground 

 beyond the main garden in connection with the 

 back entrance, it Avill be very advisable to do so on 

 the score of neatness, as the crops last referred to, 



