SUGGESTIONS FOR AN IMPROVED ROTATION IN VEGETABLE CULTURE. 
Here is another " deepener" and renovator of the class No. 1, for we have to trench nearly a yard deep 
in order to get up the roots for forcing or otherwise. 
Enough of the class " deepeners." I must now advert to a few features in the class, "preparers." 
It may be well here to begin with the fusifomi class, as our botanists term them ; such as the Carrot, 
the Parsnip, the Beet, &c, &c. These, it is well known, delight in a deep and mellow soil; therefore 
the " deepeners " are a class well adapted to pave the way for them. I do not say that, such must follow 
the deepeners ; I only urge that if any ground of that character is available, it will be thus well 
applied. I need do no more here than merely point to them ; they are, however, of considerable 
importance in an estimate ; forming altogether a valuable group. This class not only prefers a deep 
soil, but also a soil possessing much quality ; not in the shape of raw manures, but rather the remains 
of former manurings ; in fact, rich in humus. Deep trenching or digging is generally practised with 
this class ; and a good practice it is : if, however, we can find a scheme which shall at once suit the 
existing crop, and pave the way to a succeeding crop or crops, a great point is gained as to manual 
labour ; and this is one of those very material affairs which it is the design of the present paper to 
throw light on. 
We come now to No. 3, " surface crops ; " and here, a very few remarks will suffice to show their 
position in the scheme. These are, of course, at once subsidiary and subordinate to the general scheme ; 
they are followers not leaders ; and, as to soil, quite of second-rate consideration. Indeed, we grow 
most of these things in marginal borders ; they are not, however, strictly confined to such, but will 
follow anywhere, if a fine tilth can be ensured. 
And now for the 4th class, termed " deteriorators," which, for the sake of the present argument, 
may be confined to the Brassiea tribes in general ; not that they alone deserve the title, but that they 
constitute the main feature. Depth they like, and a rich soil; but, as has already been shown, they 
require also something more on old and hard-worked soils. Everybody has heard of the club, and of 
the disease termed "fingers and toes;" and serious evils they are, indeed, to grapple with on old soils. 
It will now be readily seen, that one class, termed " deepeners," constitutes the keystone of the 
arch ; and that it is really no good policy to continue a bed of Asparagus, or Sea-kale, for a score of 
years on the same plot, as though its culture was to form an abstracted proposition in itself. I have 
long since proved that such should form part of a system which has for its basis a kind of reciprocity, 
which, without being biased by cultural matters of an isolated character, shall render any given crop 
a preparer for the succeeding one. 
To take an abstracted glance, then, at what has been said, and to deduce a few leading maxims 
applicable in a majority of cases, I would say, let most of the ground recently occupied by the class 
termed " deepeners and renewers " be occupied by the principal crops of Brocoli, and winter greens 
of various kinds ; and if any surplus remain, it is extremely well adapted for the Carrots, Parsnips, 
Onions, &c. Such land requires, of course, no manure, and those whose soil proves inapt to the 
culture of such uncertain crops in old kitchen gardens, as the Carrot and Onion, will find such soil 
much less given to the grub than if fresh manured. 
The Celery beds, already alluded to, will be in order for Asparagus planting without any further 
digging or manuring; providing the man who takes it up makes a point of throwing the soil in a high 
ridge as he proceeds. This is our practice, and I may add, that I apply an extra amount of manure to 
the Celery beds, or beds intended for the new Asparagus plantation ; and, as before observed, burying 
much raw vegetable matter — weeds, leaves, coarse manure, &c. — at the bottom, and then forking in a 
good dressing of old manure near the surface. This, of course, produces very fine, and very crisp and 
tender Celery ; and ensures a good bottom for the Asparagus. If any Celery ground remain unoccupied 
my practice is to transplant the Sea-kale, Rhubarb, &c, on to it, for which it is in a state of high 
preparation, merely levelling down the ridges. Of course, I need hardly observe, that such soil is 
admirably adapted also for Cauliflowers. 
Our general scheme, therefore, stands nearly in this way ; supposing a 
divided in four parcels : — 
Deepeners, followed by Deteriorators, or the Brassiea family: — no manure. 
Deteriorators, followed by Improvers : — manure. 
Improvers, followed by Surface crops : — manure where necessary. 
Surface crops, followed by Deepeners : — soil again renewed. 
The main basis of the scheme rests on the fully recognized necessity of providing a fresh plot 
annually for the class "deteriorators;" and this agrees admirably with the improved modes of 
obtaining Asparagus and Sea-kale, as also the greatest amount of good Celery from a given space 
The covering of Celery, too, during severe frosts, is a matter of great import in the calculation. I have 
garden about equally 
