March 17, 1892. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
193 
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CROPPING A GARDEN. 
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T he season is practically at hand when a final decision must be 
made respecting the crops to be grown in gardens large or 
small. Large supplies of vegetables throughout the year from 
small gardens are the most difficult to obtain, the ground in most 
cases having to be cropped twice in order to meet requirements. 
In such cases the production of good crops is much more difficult 
than in large gardens when proper rotations can he adopted, nor 
can the greatest success be attained by the applications of suitable 
manure to make good the loss of ingredients abstracted from the 
soil when two or more crops of a similar nature have to be taken 
from the land for years in succession. 
It will be wise first to consider the advantages which arise from 
a good rotation of crops and the results of a bad rotation. We are 
in gardens, even after considering the advantages of the spade for 
cultivating the land, placed at a great disadvantage as compared 
with the agriculturist, who can change his crops to such an extent 
that they practically take from the soil different constituents, and if 
sown with grass as practised in some counties, mown twice, or two 
years in succession, grazed for two years, and then broken up, the 
land is again stored with fertility for the succeeding crops, applying 
manure for every alternate one. In gardens we can give the land 
no such change of crops, yet the produce from gardens well culti¬ 
vated more than favourably compares with the produce from even 
the best managed farms. In selecting plants or crops to form a 
rotation it is important to take into consideration the soil with 
which we have to deal, then to select plants to follow one another 
which differ as widely as possible in their modes of growth and 
habits, having regard to the food they require in the largest pro¬ 
portion. What we have to avoid in a good rotation is not to plant 
two crops which draw exactly the same constituents from the soil. 
To grow, for instance, two root crops in succession on the same 
land could only be regarded as a very bad rotation, and the same 
may be said of the Brassica family. 
We followed some years ago a garden form of what may be 
termed the “Norfolk rotation,” or a four-yeais course of cropping. 
Our crops differ, but the principle is the same, and we have found 
it to answer exceedingly well. For illustration we divide the main 
part of the garden into four portions. The first is double dug or 
trenched, or the soil is deepened as much as possible, and not 
manured, as it has been occupied previously with Celery. In spite 
of the good working the soil receives from that crop it is turned 
two spits deep or thoroughly trenched, according to the depth 
and nature of the soil. This ground is occupied with Onions, 
Parsnips, Carrots, Beet, Salsafy, Scorzonera, Chicory, or any other 
roots it may be necessary to grow. If any space is left it is cropped 
with late Broccoli. We will follow the second year of this plot, 
which is cropped exclusively with Peas, a light manuring only 
being given to prevent the Peas running too much to straw. The 
portion manured heaviest is that on which the late Broccoli have 
been grown, which are cleared away in time for the latest sowings 
of Peas. Amongst the Peas sowings of Spinach and Eadishes are 
chiefly made, and those not used are either conveyed to the 
manure heap or turned into the land between the Peas. This 
we prefer, as there is then but little loss to the land by the 
growth of these crops. The mineral matters are returned in an 
almost available form for plant food, and the soil is also eiriv.hcd 
No. 612.—VOL. XXIV., Third Series. 
in organic substances. Most of this ground is cleared to allow of 
early autumn digging, and it should again, if stiff or moderately 
stiff soil, be turned up deeply, to be acted upon by changes of 
temperature, rain and frost. The action of the atmosphere not 
only insures the easy working of the ground in spring, but acts 
upon the dormant plant food in the soil and renders it active. 
Perhaps, more correctly speaking, it so changes insoluble substances 
that they are easily acted upon by chemical agencies. The third 
year this plot is cropped with Ashleaf Potatoes, placed 3 feet apart, 
with Brussels Sprouts between. For this crop the land is fairly 
well manured, and after the Potatoes are removed the Sprouts are 
given either liquid manure or some suitable artificial manure on the 
surface, and well watered in if the weather is dry. We want to 
point out that this plot of Sprouts is grown for a main or general 
crop ; if a few very early ones are needed they are grown else¬ 
where. This we have found necessary, because if the Potatoes do 
well the lowest Sprouts that would otherwise form are lost. Half 
the plot, however, is occupied with plants raised from seed sown in 
February, and the other half with plants raised outside. If the 
space is too large we fill with late Broccoli. The fourth year 
this plot is occupied with Celery, the ground being well manured, 
deeply dug, and the Celery planted practically on the surface, 
drills being drawn about 2 inches deeper than those required for 
Peas, or say 4 inches deep. In addition to the liberal dressing of 
manure, liquid or artificials are given and watered in. We have 
found soot an invaluable stimulant for Celery. Between the rows 
second early Cauliflowers, Lettuce, French Beans, Turnips, and 
Radishes are grown. We avoid the former if we can. In order to 
attend to the watering of the Celery every alternate space between 
the rows only is planted. It will thus be seen that the cropping 
comprises first roots, second Peas, third Potatoes and Brussels. 
Sprouts, and fourth Celery. 
On all borders inside or outside of the garden walls the same 
principle of cropping should be carried out, but the crops to be 
grown depend largely upon requirements. A few instances may 
suffice. Where there are four warm borders one may be occupied 
with a variety of early vegetables—namely, Carrots, French Beans, 
Lettuce, Radishes, Turnips, and so on ; another may be cropped 
with Peas and Broad Beans, a third with Potatoes, and the 
remaining one with Cabbages and Early Cauliflowers. These borders 
will all be clear in time for Early Nantes Carrots, Leeks to be 
lifted and laid in for late spring use. Turnips, Spinach, Lettuce, 
Endive, Cabbage for spring, Coleworts, or even the latest Cauli¬ 
flowers. Where Leeks are appreciated early in the season an east 
or west border is selected for them, the ground is deeply dug 
and heavily manured, these are succeeded the next year by 
Autumn Giant Cauliflowers and the following year by Potatoes. 
The border is then turned early and as deeply as possible for seed 
beds the following spring. After these are removed the ground 
is planted with Cabbages in September to succeed those planted on 
a south border. In large gardens we find it necessary to retain 
two borders at least for seeds, the one for the Brassica family and 
the other for herbs. Radishes, Lettuces and other vegetables. The 
one may be cropped as we have described, while the other will be 
occupied nearly the whole of the season, and probably cannot be dug 
before spring. 
North borders are much more useful than we regarded them at 
one time. There is, perhaps, no place in the garden so valuable for 
yielding a late supply of Kale ; the plants grow sturdily and stand 
the winter remarkably well, scarcely ever a plant fails, and they 
yield abundance of greens until midsummer. The varieties that are 
especially valuable for these positions are Curled Sprouts, Sprouting 
Broccoli, Cottager’s Kale, Asparagus Kale, and Dwarf Green Bore¬ 
cole. The last is highly esteemed here, and a border is devoted 
exclusively to them. These borders are valuable for Spinach ; we 
find that it stands well, and is a long time before it is over. Our 
latest soving is made in this position, and although the plants 
No. 2268.— VoL. LXXXVL, Old Series. 
