6 



INTRODUCTION. 



and diligence ; to be always gathering some fruits of it, 

 and at the same time to behold others ripening, and others 

 budding; to see his soil covered with the beauteous crea- 

 tures of his own industry; and to see, like God, that all 

 his works are good.'' 



We shall here state, concisely, some of the principal pre- 

 requisites for successful horticulture, directing our observa- 

 tions, chiefly, to what relates to the kitchen garden. Gar- 

 dens are usually classed under the following heads : — the 

 kitchen garden ; the fruit garden ; and the flower garden. 

 The flower garden, being designed principally for ornament, 

 should be placed in the most conspicuous part, that is, in 

 front, or next to the back part of the house ; the kitchen 

 garden and fruit garden may follow in succession. With i 

 respect to the natural situation of a garden, Nicol and For- 

 t^yth agree in preferring a gentle declivity towards the south, 

 a little inclining to the east, to receive the benefit of the j 

 morning sun. "A kitchen garden," observed Dr. Deane, 



should not be situated at any great distance from the 

 house, lest, being too much out of sight, it should be out of 

 mind, and the necessary culture of it too much neglected." 

 It should be placed adjoining to a stable, whence the dung 

 may be easily conveyed into the enclosure. It should be 

 sheltered, as much as can be, from the north and east, to 

 prevent the blighting w^inds from affecting the trees. The 

 best soil for a garden is a sandy loam, two or three feet 

 deep, according to Forsyth ; but if deeper, the better. The 

 earth should not be of a binding nature in summer, nor re- 

 tentive of riin in winter, but of such a texture that it can 

 be worked at any season, when not frozen, without diffi- 

 culty." 



Dr. Deane observed, that " a garden should have a close 

 fence, that the winds may not drive seeds of weeds into it. 

 The fence should be at least seven feet hi^h, and picketed 

 to prevent the entrance of thieves. The height and close- 

 ness of the fence will increase the vegetation by increasing 

 the warmth of the air in the garden, excepting, perhaps, the 

 parts which are shaded by the fences. The rage of high 

 winds w^ill be so opposed as to prevent the tearing and 

 distorting of tender plants, and fowls may be more easily 

 kept out." Loudon remarks, that " the height of walls for 

 training fruit trees, generally approved, is from ten to 

 twelve feet \ but it is more commonly determined by the 



