THE 
AMERICAN GARDENER'S 
CALENDAR. 
JANUARY. 
WORK TO BE DONE IN THE KITCHEN GARDEN. 
Preparations for Early Crops. 
IN such parts of the Union, where the ground is not at this time 
bound up with frost, continue to dig the waste quarters of your 
kitchen garden, first giving them such manure as they require; lay- 
ing them in high sloping ridges, to sweeten and be improved by the 
frost, &c. more especially if the soil be a stiff nature: by which 
method, its adhesion is destroyed, the pores are opened for the ad- 
mission of air, frost, rain and dews, all of which abounding with 
nitrous salts, contribute, in a high degree, towards its melioration 
and fertility; and besides a great quantity of ground thus prepared, 
can be soon levelled in the spring for sowing or planting; which, if 
neglected, would require much time to dig in a proper manner, and 
that at a period, when the throng of business requires every advan- 
tage of previous preparation. 
When the ground at this time is frozen so hard as not to be dug, 
which is generally the case in the middle and eastern states, you 
may carry manure into the different quarters and spread it, repair 
fences, rub out and clean your seeds, prepare shreds, nails and twigs, 
for the wall and espalier trees, which are to be pruned in this and 
the next month; get all the garden-tools in repair, and procure 
such as are wanting; provide from the woods a sufficient quantity 
of pea-rods, and poles for your Lima and other running beans; 
dress and point them, so as to be ready for use when wanted. 
Here it may be well to remark, that many people who neglect to 
provide themselves with pea-rods at this season, when it can be so 
conveniently done, are necessitated, when the hurry of business over- 
takes them in spring, to sow their peas and let them trail on the 
B 
