340 



On Cottage Gardenmg. 



about 10 inches of loose rich mould : when the heat rises to the 

 surface (if the labourer can neither beg nor buy a pot of plants 

 from a neighbour) he may drop a few seeds in the centre of his 

 little bed : when the seedlings rise and have produced one rough 

 leaf, they will require a little fresh and dry compost put round 

 and among the stems^ and the little bud at the bottom of the 

 rough leaf pinched off. The pit is hooped over and covered 

 every night with a mat or old sack to keep in the heat, which will 

 continue till that of the season is sufficient. Pumpkins may be 

 grown in the same way ; but they require the richest soil that can 

 be got to swell the fruit to a good size. 



No directions have been given about growing cauliflower, 

 broccoli, celery, endive, asparagus, artichokes, and several other 

 kitchen-garden vegetables, because these should never encumber 

 the garden of a cottager, being to him unprofitable plants ; but in 

 order that he may not be in ignorance concerning these things, 

 they are all mentioned in the calendar at the end. 



There are, however, a few more particulars which may be of 

 use to the cottager in the management of his garden ; and first, of 

 saving seeds. The only seeds worth his while to save are those 

 of onion, scarlet runners, radish, and coss lettuce : as to cabbage, 

 savoy, carrot, parsnip, &c., there is such risk in saving them true, 

 and they cost so little if bought, that the amount can be no object to 

 the buyer. When attempted, however, the finest and truest 

 specimens of the crop should be chosen to produce seed. A few 

 plants of radish and lettuce may stand where they were sown ; a 

 score of the first pods may be left on the runners: and half-a-dozen 

 of the best onions planted in a row on an open spot of the garden 

 in the month of February will yield seed enough for the follow- 

 ing season. Indeed, saving onion-seed should be a particular 

 object with the cottager ; as having a few ounces to sell will 

 enable him not only to buy all his other seeds, but a load or two 

 of dung besides. 



Quantities of seeds required in a small garden, viz, : — 



1 pint of peas is enough for a row of 20 yards in length. 



1 do. of beans do. 27 do. 



1 do. runners do. 36 do. 



1 do. dwarf kidney do. 26 do. 



1 do. marrowfat peas do. 32 do. 



1 oz. onion seed sows 15 square yards; \ oz., 7 square yards; 

 1 oz. carrot, 15 square yards; 1 oz. parsnip, 15 square yards; 

 I oz. of cabbage, savoy, borecole, broccoli, cauliflower, is enough 

 for a seed-bed of 4 square yards ; J oz. of turnip sows 1 1 square 

 yards ; of radish, 2 or 3 oz. for spring sowings, and 1 J oz. for 

 autumn; a bed of asparagus, 5 feet by 30, requires 160 plants; 

 an acre of potatoes requires from 15 to 20 bushels of sets. 



