310 
GARDENING.-NO. 8. 
July, to two eyes from the fruit. The branches 
got the start of those in the other vines, but they 
did not maintain their superiority more than three 
weeks, and after the middle of August, were deci¬ 
dedly inferior to the others, which were not stopped 
so short, or at all. The hanging down plan I 
would prefer to all others, but that it is not very 
practicable on a large scale, or always convenient 
on a small one. The laterals opposite the fruit, 
in contact with the fruit leaf, should not be touch¬ 
ed, and neither stopping nor taking off any laterals 
should be practised until the growth or the season 
is on the wane. 
Manures .—I have satisfied myself that stable 
manure used as a top-dressing in summer, is a cause 
of mildew, and in a Jess degree also in the fall, if 
liberally applied. Whether ashes or animal ma¬ 
nures produce a like effect, I am not certain, but I 
shall abstain altogether in future from manuring in 
summer. What other causes of mildew there may 
be, I know not, but think there can be little doubt 
that want of air, from superabundance of foliage, is 
one, or perhaps too much foliage, and short stopping, 
may induce it by the same cause, i. e., preventing a 
due supply of elaborated sap, the leaves in one case, 
being cut off, in the other, the proximate leaves 
being excluded from the action of the sun. 
I wish some of your correspondents would take 
up the subject of insects on out-door vines. The 
removal of the proximate laterals leaves the bunch 
without resource, if the proximate leaf is attacked 
(and it seems to be that which most suffers), and 
this is an additional reason for respecting it. 
An Amateur Gardener. 
GARDENING—No. 8. 
The soil for a kitchen garden, it is obvious, is 
■)f the greatest importance, being, however, a sub¬ 
ordinate consideration to situation, and may be 
changed by art, or improved as occasion may 
require; but not so with the situation. “ The 
best soil for a garden is a sandy loam, not less 
than two feet deep, and good‘earth, neither of a 
binding nature in summer, nor retentive of rain in 
winter; but of such a texture, that it can be worked 
without difficulty, in any season of the year. If it 
can be done, a garden should be made on land the 
bottom of which is not of a springy nature.” 
(McPhail.) 
“ In selecting ground for a garden, the plants 
growing naturally on the surface should be noted, 
as from these a pretty correct opinion may be 
formed of the qualities of the soil. In every gar¬ 
den two varieties of soil are wanted, a strong and a 
light one, in other words, a clayey loam, and a 
candy loam; different plants require these respect¬ 
ive kinds. For the general soil, a loam of middling 
quality, but partaking rather of the sandy than the 
clayey, is accounted best.” (Neill in Edin. Enci/., 
Art. Hort.) 
“ The soil of a garden should be two or three 
feet, but if deeper the better, of a mellow, pliable 
nature, and of a moderately dry quality ; and if the 
ground should have an uneven surface, by no 
means attempt to level it, for by that unevenness, 
and any little difference there may be in the quality, 
you will have a greater variety of soil adapted to 
the different crops. The best soil is a rich mellow 
loam, the worst, a stiff heavy clay.” ( Forsyth.) 
“ In the same garden there never should be 
wanting different soils ; and where nature has been 
different, recourse must be had to art; inasmuch as 
the variety of fruits and vegetables to be cultivated 
requires different soils to produce them in perfec¬ 
tion. It would be absurd, however, to imagine, 
that for every particular vegetable there is to be a 
particular soil prepared.” (Loudon.) 
It is found that a light sandy loam is the best soil 
for a kitchen garden This may be formed where 
the predominant soil is either clay, peat, or sand. 
A free marl is likewise well calculated for garden 
culture. 
As respects the exposure of a garden, authors 
differ; some preferring an easterly exposure, as 
Abercrombie and others, and some a southerly 
exposure, as Nicol, Switzer, and Marshall. If, 
however, a situation combining exposure to two or 
three points can be obtained, we should prefer it, as 
in many cases a northern aspect is desirable, as it is 
much cooler for some summer productions, and 
especially for late successive crops. 
The extent of the kitchen garden must be regu¬ 
lated by the requirements therefrom. An acre, 
with wall trees, hot-beds, &c., will furnish employ¬ 
ment for one man. It is better to have too much 
than too little space, as a large garden attached to a 
small house is no deformity. 
In regard to form, almost all the authors above 
quoted, agree in recommending a square or oblong, 
but Abercrombie proposes a long octagon, by 
which, he says, a greater portion of the wall in the 
slips behind will be on an equality with the garden, 
as to aspect. Irregular figures are admissible, and 
by some are preferred even to regular geometrical 
ones. The area enclosed by the walls of a garden, 
is usually formed into compartments, commonly 
called quarters, borders, slips, and wmlks. The 
magnitude and number, both of compartments and 
borders, as well as of the walks, depend on the size 
of the garden, and on the taste of the designer. 
“ In laying out the compartments, you must be 
guided, in a great measure, by the form and size 
of the garden ; but do not lay them out too small, as, 
in that case, a great part of the ground will be 
taken up with walks and borders. The best figure 
is a square, or oblong, when the garden is of that 
form ; but, if not, they may be laid out in any other 
figure that is thought to be most convenient.” 
(Forsyth.) 
“ The best gardens are laid out in beds four feet 
wide, with narrow alleys. So many alleys, no 
doubt, occupy a deal of room ; but advantages of 
conveniency and neatness, in enabling the work¬ 
men to clean and gather the crops, without tram¬ 
pling the ground, seem to compensate for the sacri¬ 
fice of space.” (Neill.) 
The best seasons for forming a garden are the 
spring and summer ; but, at all events, at whatever 
time the operations are begun, they should be 
arranged so as to be finished early in autumn, to 
admit of planting fruit trees and laying edges, at 
that season, or very early in the ensuing spring. 
The cultivation of a garden includes the perform¬ 
ance of all those things that are requisite to a rea¬ 
sonable and prolific production. A kitchen garden. 
