VEGETABLES ALL THE YEAR ROUND FOR A PRIVATE FAMILY. 345 



with movable lights 6 feet by I feet are quite sufficient ; these must 

 have a 4-inch hot- water pipe all round, with valves for adjusting the 

 heat. Instead of brick pits, frames made of 3-inch deal planks may be 

 used ; they have the advantage of portability, and can have extra coverings 

 in severe weather. 



A good Mushroom-house is also necessary, but it need not be an 

 expensive structure, though, owing to the moist atmosphere necessary for 

 Mushrooms at all times, it must be built of substantial materials. For 

 the elevated beds I find iron bearers, with Victoria stone for the bottoms 

 and sides, are the most suitable. Where beds are placed one above 

 another a space of 3^ feet clear should be left between them. A position 

 on the north side of a wall is the best for this purpose. For although 

 somewhat cold in the depth of winter, it gives better climatic conditions 

 for late spring, late summer, and autumn crops. A flow and return hot- 

 water pipe is necessary for severe weather. This building also serves for 

 early Seakale, Rhubarb, and Chicory. For growing Mushrooms through- 

 out the summer a cool cellar is necessary, the heat above ground being 

 too great for this vegetable during June and July. I may perhaps be 

 reminded that good Mushrooms can be grown on ridges of manure in the 

 *open air, but this system is not suitable where a continuous supply is 

 required, and is only fit for market growers, who can deal with a large 

 quantity of produce at varying intervals. 



A few ordinary garden frames and some handlights complete the list 

 of structures required for producing purposes. 



Store Booms. — These are necessary for Onions, Seed Potatos, and a 

 supply of all roots in frosty weather ; but any ordinary shed can be easily 

 adapted to the purpose, the great desiderata being coolness without 

 admitting frost, and a moderate amount of moisture for all except 

 Onions and seed Potatos, which must be kept dry as well as cool. 



A cold-storage room should be provided in all good gardens, as, 

 besides providing facilities for retarding roots of Seakale, Asparagus, and 

 Rhubarb, it would be useful for very many things not connected with our 

 present subject. 



But the chief aid to a good supply of vegetables is a good kitchen 

 garden. The site chosen for this should have a deep soil that can be 

 dug or otherwise operated upon in showery weather. After experience 

 on limestone, sand, gravel, oolitic clay, lias clay, and Northamptonshire 

 red sand, I found the last to be the best of all ; it is easily worked to three 

 feet in depth, and wet weather interferes with it but a very little ; the chief 

 advantage is perhaps the fact of its requiring such a small amount of 

 manure ; the only vegetable which did not succeed well with me on this 

 soil was the Turnip, and probably this would have done better if the 

 means of applying superphosphate, or a similar manure, had been allowed. 

 It is a mistake to select a position for a garden on an unsuitable soil, 

 and imagine that cultivation will compensate for that disadvantage. I 

 have had some years of experience on a cold clay, and find an ordinary 

 lifetime is too short to make such a soil into a good kitchen garden. If 

 the ground slopes gently to the south it will be warmer and better drained, 

 or a gentle slope to the east or west would be better than a dead level ; bur 

 ground sloping to the north must be avoided. Shelter is extremely 



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