108 THE KITCHEN GARDEN. [Feb. 
others low and moist, it may be some advantage, as the highei* or 
sloping ground will suit some early crops, and serve for wintering 
several sorts of plants that are impatient of copious moisture in that 
season, such as artichokes, spinage, corn sallad, lettuce, &c.; and 
the low ground wilt be eligible for late summer crops, as beets, 
kidney-beans, cauliflowers, cabbages, lettuce, and several others. 
However, as to choice of situation and soil, this only is practicable 
in large estates; but where persons are limited to a moderate space, 
they must be content with such as nature aflbrds; observing in this 
case, that if the natural soil is of a proper temperament and depth, 
you need not be under any great anxiety about the situation if it is 
moderately dry, and not apt to be overflowed in winter; even in 
that case, it may be remedied or greatly helped, by digging two or 
three long narrow canals, and from these some under-ground hol- 
low drains, the earth from which will help to raise the contiguous 
ground higher, and the water in the canals will be convenient for 
watering the plants. Remarking that a situation too wet in winter 
should be guarded against as much as the nature of the place will 
admit; for in such land you can never have early nor good general 
crops, nor will the fruit trees be prosperous. 
With respect to soil, that for a kitchen garden of all others, re- 
c[uires to be naturally good, of depth enough for the growth of the 
large perpendicular esculent roots, as carrots, parsneps, red beet, 
horse-radish, &c. also for the growth of fruit trees, a very material 
article; so that the proper soil for these general purposes should, 
if possible, be from about a foot and a half to two feet deep, or 
more; but much less than a foot and a half depth will be a disad- 
vantage: so much depends upon the quality of the soil for a kitchen 
and fruit garden, that where there is scope of ground to choose 
from, we cannot be too cautious at first in fixing on a proper spot 
where the soil is good and deep enough, as above, before gravel, 
clay, or other bad soils are come at, which should always be more 
particularly attended to when designed to furnish the ground with 
a choice collection of fruit trees, either for walls, espaliers, or 
standards; for, without a due depth of good earth, these will neither 
bear well nor be of long duration. 
Different sorts of soils are met with in different parts, as loamy, 
clayey, sandy, &c. A loamy soil, either of a brown or black colour, 
is the best that can be for this purpose, more particularly a light 
sandy hazel loam, which always works pliable at all seasons, not 
apt to be too wet and cloggy at every shower of rain, nor bind in 
dry hot weather; this soil, however, although in many places it is 
the most general superficial earth, is not common to all parts. A 
clayey, strong, stubborn soil, is the worst of all earths, and must 
be mended by sandy materials, ashes, and other loosening light 
substances. A sandy soil is common in many places, which is of 
a very light sharp nature; this must be fertilized by plenty of rotten 
dung and strong earths, when they can be easily procured. 
It is observable that ground which constantly produces good 
crops of grain and grass, is also proper for the growth of all escu- 
lent herbs and fruit trees. 
