HOW TO r>IG A BIT 
OF GROUND. 
What a lot of jobs are done wrong, certainly 
not so correctly as they might and should be if 
we only give a few minutes’ consideration and 
say, “Let us look first if this is right, and the 
best way to attain the object in view , what is 
wanted and what to avoid.” Jack will say, 
“I’ve always seen it done so and so.” Well, 
Jack’s way will probably answer, and may or 
may not be good, but iit tlieso days wo must 
adopt the best and most reasonable mode, 
all things considered. 'I'he illustration and 
our remarks will show and e.xplain how a 
piece of ground shonld be dug, how things 
should be planted, and how treated after plant- 
ing. Ilow strange so important a matter as 
digging and pulverising ground is that no 
one, BO far as our experience goes, has ever 
dealt with the matter properly, or what we 
should say, carried out the work to the fullest 
extent for the beat. There are plenty of plough- 
ing matches, but no digging matches — and why 
not? Here a little item about workmen : with- 
out hardly a single exception they will shnn 
the work, when it should be to them a pleasure ; 
they never try to adopt or think how would be 
the best and quickest, and mrst <« nmon-sense 
way to do it well, but plod on in an unthinking 
manner. It is of little consequence where and 
how the ground is situated, it will be best to dig 
half up, and the other half down, qs shown. 
Supposing it is a bit of ground with ordinary paths which is required 
to be turned up to look well and grow a good crop. First see that the 
ground, is level, if not, take a forkful of 'the soil out here and there from 
the highest points, and throw into the lower parts until sufficient is moved 
so that all will be level when finished, for unlevel ground looks extremelj' 
unskilful ; then wheel on the manure, spread it well and regularly, that is 
to say, evenly everywhere, just- as much round the edges as elsewhere, 
generally a lot is left where first put, and the crop grows uneven and looks 
bad— people wonder the reason. This done, peel or skim oft the paths all 
round sufficiently deep to get below the hearts of the weeds, throw this on 
the ground to be dug in ; after this, line out or square the bit of ground. 
This done, clear off all weeds (see Engraving, Nos. 1 and 2), so that the 
soil to make a trench is clean, and also where it lays on No. 1. In digging 
observe the position of the man when the fork is being thrust into the soil 
with his heel on the shoulder of the tool, and his thumb through the cot of 
the handle, so that he has a firm hold and command over the fork or spade, 
which must be kept upright, and thrust down the full length (or at least a 
foot) of the blade or prongs ; no rolling over the soil, small thin slices is 
far the best and quickest, this lifted clean up rarely requires much breaking 
afterwards. It will be seen that the man at No. 3 has just finished up to 
where he wanted to g“ ; he then turns and commences to take out trench 
on the other end of the next half, which he fills in at iNO. o ; tnis an laia 
level, he digs back to No. 1. Here he finds the soil he first took out at 
No. 2 ; this being free from weeds, it is filled in, and the work is finished 
off in a workmanlike and proper manner. Always keep a fair sized trench, 
so that all weeds can be put down and buried deeply, and for all special 
purposes have it extra deeply dqg by gojng all along the trench from end 
to end and leaving it there, so that'the ndxt Ordinary trench' folds in on the 
top of it. When alt this is carried out.the whole should lay roughly level. 
Always dig square up to where the ground is required to be dug, and the 
trench fill in along, not up to one corner as is usually done, if so it will be 
out of level and unworkmanlike. 
Arrange the ground so as to fit the 'position, all grass rubbish and 
manure must be thoroughly buried and the job finished, that the digger 
could say, with all pride, “Well, that is done as it should be. I have 
studied it to its fullest extent, and should be glad for any one to tell me 
one item that I do not know respecting the digging of ground properly ; 
and- if he really knows without pretending, he is a valuable mau, and one to 
make and grow plenty to eat. 
Every employer should encourage this art, and there ought to be a 
prize offered for the champion digger in every village. 
To those of OLir Customers who find the usual 
packets and half ounces of vegetable seeds contain 
too much, we can supply PENNY PACKETS of the 
most useful varieties, excepting Beans, Peas, and 
Novelties. The Penny Packets contain the same 
quality of "Perfect Seeds” as in the higher priced. 
We therefore respectfully suggest that a remittance 
should accompany all orders so as to save the 
expense of booking. The postage of Vegetable 
Seeds is twopence for a dozen or any less number 
of packets, and unless sufficient money is sent to 
pay postage for orders under — Five Shillings — we 
cannot send them post or carriage free. 
RANSOME’S AUTOMATON MOWER. 
I 
£ 
s. 
d. 
8-in. For small Lawns and Edgings 2 
15 
0 
10-in. 
,, tisc by a Lady or a Boy... 3 
10 
0 
12-in. 
* 
10 
0 
H-iu. 
Man 6 
10 
0 
16-in. 
,, ,, Man nud Boy ... 6 
10 
0 
Sent Carriage Paid on a Month's Free Trial. 
NO CHARGE FOR PACKING. 
( 53 ) 
