454 



THE CENTURY BOOK OF GARDENING. 



Bastard Trenching consists of digging out and wheeling away the top spit of the 

 soil from one section of the garden, upon which you may wish to work, to the other, 

 leaving a trench some i8in. to 2ft. in width and carried right across the section which 

 is being dug. The bottom soil is then proceeded with, and this is dug over in the 

 ordinary way, and manure incorporated at the same time. Next the top spit of the 

 ground immediately adjoining the trench is turned over on to the loosened subsoil, and in 

 placing this in position care must be taken to keep a trench open of a space equal to that 

 covered in. The subsoil is treated as in the first instance, and the aforementioned operations 

 are repeated, until at length the whole section of the ground has been dealt with. The 

 soil at first taken out and wheeled away has to be filled into the last trench, and the task 

 is thus completed. This sort of trenching is specially suited to shallow soils. 



will be found most advantageous. The trenches, as a rule, should be about 18'm. deep, 

 and have a good foot of manure in the bottom, with a coating of about 3 i n . of garden 

 soil, when they will be fit to receive any of the above vegetables, which, as I have already 

 mentioned, can digest considerable nourishment. 



HOEING. — The use of the hoe is not sufficiently appreciated in gardens, but more 

 good can be secured by the judicious use of this simple implement than many are aware. At 

 all times, in the growing season, the frequent use of the hoe has the effect of keeping the 

 weeds under, breaking up the soil, and letting the air well into it. The roots also by these 

 means are aerated, and the conditions prevailing in the soil are such that the assimilation of 

 food supplies is enhanced. When the British gardener learns to attach proper value to the 

 right use of the hoe, he will be enabled to record progress both in the saving of labour and 



True Trenching is of great value on all 

 kinds of land, and during periods of great heat 

 and drought the beneficial effects of the deep 

 cultivation which it involves are especially 

 marked. To trench the garden in true form, 

 take out a trench of the same width as that 

 suLv^ested in the case of bastard trenching, but 

 in this instance to the depth of two spits. The 

 soil should be removed to the end of the piece of 

 ground being operated upon. Proceed then to 

 dig the adjoining ground, throwing the top spit 

 into the bottom of the open trench, and the 

 second spit on to the top of this, by this method 

 quite reversing the original order of things. 

 Observe this rule throughout the piece of ground 

 dealt with, filling in the trench at the end w hen 

 this is reached w ith the soil first removed. Old 

 and impoverished soils must be liberally treated, 

 applying manure of a heavy kind to light, warm, 

 sandy soils, and in the case of clayey and 

 retentive material light manure should be applied. 



TOMATO, DEDHAM FAVORITE. 



TRENCHES. — -Everyone uses these for 

 growing Celery, many use them for Leeks, and 

 a few for Peas and runner Beans ; but wherever 

 heavy manuring, constant saturation w ith sewage 

 water, or other such means for producing excep- 

 tionally tine specimens, or for anticipating or 

 prolonging the usual growing season of the plant, 

 are resorted to, then this method of cultivation 



