312 
APRIL. 
THE KITCHEN-GARDEN 
PREVIOUS to entering upon the work of the Kitchen-Gar- 
den, &c. for this month, it will be proper to observe, that a great 
portion of the open ground culture and sowing, necessary to be 
done in some places in April, have been fully treated of in March, 
in order to accommodate those citizens of the middle states, whose 
gardens, from the nature of soil and situation, admit of early sow- 
ing, as well as a desire in many, to have their crops at as early a 
period as possible, either for sale, or family use; and also for the 
general accommodation of the more southerly states; that month be- 
ing their principal season for gardening. But in the eastern states 
generally, and in such parts of the middle states as the ground is 
naturally of a binding and heavy nature, this will be the most eligi- 
ble period, for sowing their general garden crops; always observ- 
ing, to sow the hardy kinds as early in the month as the soil, sea- 
son, and situation will admit of; in order that the young plants 
may be established, before they are overtaken by the summer heat 
and drought; but never, or on any account, should a stiff or moist 
ground be wrought, till it gets so dry as to fall to pieces in the 
working, nor delayed till it binds and becomes hard. Let the spade 
not be applied, till every particle of water, that is not in contact with 
the clay, is either drained away, or drawn off by the air; nick that 
time, and you will then find the earth to work freely, and not sub- 
ject to bind afterwards; for if a clay is worked before this critical 
period, it kneads like dough, becomes more tough, and never fails 
to bind when drought follows, which not only prevents the seeds to 
rise, but injures the plants materially in their subsequent growth, 
by its becoming impervious to the moderate rains, dews, air, and 
influence of the sun, which are all necessary to the promotion of 
vegetation. 
On the other hand, a light sandy soil will be rather benefited by 
working it when moist, as such will have a tendency to make it 
more compact, and consequently more retentive of moisture. 
The nearer the ground approaches to a sand, the less retentive 
will it be of moisture; the more to a clay the longer will it retain 
it; and the finer the particles of which the elay is composed, the 
faster will it hold every small particle of water, and consequently 
be longer in drying, and become harder when dry: but earth of a 
consistence that will hold water the longest, without becoming hard 
when drys is that of all others, the best adapted for raising the gene- 
rality of plants, in the greatest perfection. This last described, is 
called loam, and is a medium earth, between the extremes of clay 
and sand. 
