212 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENEIL 
[ March 13, KSft. 
tunities for the exercise of all that is best for human faculty to 
the purer minds of those who behold in the world about them the 
imprint of the Father moulding and maintaining everything by 
the laws of life.” This is the kind of teaching that gains the ear 
of the thoughtful and commands general respect, as sounder, more 
practical, and more attainable than the promulgation of visionary 
ideas in which farmers are told they can make fabulous fortunes by 
growing Grapes according to arithmetic. 
ROTATION AND ARRANGEMENT OF KITCHEN 
GARDEN CROPS. 
Under favourable conditions work in this department should 
for the ensuing two months be given an extra amount of attention, 
and all quarters be allotted their respective crops. Assuming that 
digging or trenching has been progressing apace and manure in 
adequate quantities has been supplied, the surface should in the 
course of a few weeks be in that mellow and friable condition that 
can only be obtained bj’^ the disintegrating action of slight touches 
of frost followed by dry east winds. When the ground is in such 
a condition no delay should occur in sowing the seed, as a sudden 
change in the weather may cause the state of the seed bed to be 
such that several weeks may elapse before it is again fit for their 
reception, and unless plans and arrangements are made in good time 
to determine the position and extent of the principal crops con¬ 
siderable difficulty will be experienced in more ways than one 
during the coming season. Much diversity of opinion exists as to 
the imperative necessity of the proper rotation of crops, but I am 
strongly in favour of carrying on a systematic order of cropping— 
not only on account of the scientific advantages the principle 
evolves, but also for practical convenience and pecuniary gain, for 
if a plot of ground can by the aid of intelligent scheming be made 
to produce two crops in the same time on the same extent of 
surface as one under ordinary treatment, and that too without 
unduly interfering with the requirements of each, such a proposi¬ 
tion should at least have a hearing. 
Taking for granted the idea that cultivated ground required a 
periodic rest has long since been relegated to the past, we will com¬ 
mence a survey of an imaginary kitchen garden where a supply of 
fresh vegetables has to be maintained throughout the year, and 
that too in such quantities that unless every foot of ground is not 
under a system of almost continuous cropping the demand could 
not be met. Such a garden at the present time would have a good 
breadth of autumn-planted Cabbages that were placed out imme¬ 
diately the Onion crop was harvested ; one batch of Ellam’s, sown 
in June or early in July, followed the Tripoli or autumn-sown 
Onions, and the other larger portion from August sowings of 
general varieties followed the spring-sown crop cleared off in 
September. Another equally extensive quarter would form the 
backbone of the winter supplies by being devoted to Brussels 
Sprouts ; these sown on a slight hotbed in February, and planted 
out in April 2 feet apart in the alleys formed by earthing up the 
early kidney Potatoes that had been previously planted in rows 
3 feet apart. These being required for use immediately frame and 
sheltered border supplies were exhausted no injurious interference 
with the Brussels Sprout plants took place, and when all the 
Potatoes were cleared a slight dressing of suitable artificial manure 
should be sprinkled on the ground around the stems of the Brussels 
Sprouts, and the soil from the Potato ridges levelled throughout, 
this resulting in a sturdy upright growth, producing firm solid 
sprouts from the ground to the top of the 3 feet stems. As we see 
them now divested of all but the crowns, and a few though none 
the less acceptable buds nestled under the protecting leaves at the 
summit, an inexperienced man would probably consider them as 
encumbering the ground, and proceed to decapitate them (if that 
had not already been done, with the mistaken notion of forcing them 
to produce sprouts more freely), and then consign the stems to the 
rubbish heap ; but such would not be the procedure under the 
system advised. As before stated, the rows are 3 feet asunder. 
This space is absolutely necessary for the proper development of 
the plants, therefore when the plants are first put out under ordi¬ 
nary circumstances this surface, if not occupied by another crop, is 
absolute waste until the time when the advancing growth of the 
plant covers it, and in my estimation early Potatoes are the most 
desirable crop, as their requirements—both in regard to earthing 
up, and again when the tubers are dug—^proves a decided advantage 
to the Sprouts. Again, the distance apart is of some importance 
when, as at the present time, instead of clearing them off, as is 
sometimes done, trenches a foot wide and 18 inches deep are driven 
between alternate rows, in the bottom of which a good layer of not 
too rotten farmyard manure is forked up, a few inches of soil 
placed on this, and they are now ready for the main crop Peas. 
Meanwhile the Brussels Sprout stems will he producing tender 
succulent shoots, that, should the spring be late, will prove very' 
acceptable to keep “ the baskets going during a few weeks that, 
sometimes occur before the spring Cabbage is fit for use, while at 
the same time the crop of early, second early, and Marrow Peas are- 
coming on apace, thanks to the protecting influence of the Sprout, 
stems. When the supply of green stuff from other quarters is- 
assured no time should be lost in removing the stems and getting 
the ground between the rows of Peas forked over, and having.' 
drawn three shallow drills some 6 inches apart down the centre of 
the open space Round or Summer Spinach should be sown at once. 
The first sowings of Peas in these trenches should' consist of 
Veitch’s Early Selected, William I., and Duke of Albany. An equal* 
quantity of each sown at the same time, say about the last week in- 
February or early in March, will form a reliable succession to eacln 
other, and these, followed by further fortnightly sowings of the^ 
“ Duke ” until the end of June, when Ne Plus Ultra, followed by- 
William I., will give a good supply under favourable circumstances, 
far into the autumn. 
But to resume our survey of other quarters. A good crop of 
Turnips, of the Red Stone and Chirk Castle type, will have re¬ 
sulted from a favourable opportunity of raising the plants quickly 
by sowing on a plot that had been made especially rich for mid¬ 
summer Cauliflowers, and also conveniently vacant in time for the. 
sowing of winter Turnips. A good quantity of these will be stored 
in cool places for soup-making purposes until the frame varieties 
are fit for use ; the remainder will furnish useful greens, and will be- 
finally cleared away or dug in with manure, and the quarter planted:. 
with Leeks from the seed beds. Another piece of ground will probably 
be occupied with the stumps of the previous spring Cabbage, that. 
have done good service throughout the summer and autumn, and 
even now should not be despised before a continuous supply is ap¬ 
parent. On several occasions have I seen the folly of being toa- 
hasty in destroying old stumps of Brussels Sprouts, Cabbages, and 
the various winter greens on the first appearance of fine spring, 
weather, which proceeding has resulted in an almost “green 
famine,” consequent on a change in the weather, and what at first 
promised to be a fine early spring eventually proved one of the- 
latest and coldest on record. 
This again brings the forcible necessity of some arrangement- 
whereby the supplies can be held in reserve in case of emergency, 
and at the same time not interfere with the operation connected 
with other crops. This can only be accomplished by careful fore¬ 
thought and the following out of a fixed plan in the rotation of' 
these crops if the object is to obtain the fullest return possible. 
Plantations of early Broccoli should now be turning in. The seed 
was sown last May and June, and the plants put out after early 
Potatoes were lifted. Later sorts of Broccoli were pricked out from>. 
the seed-beds and followed later Potatoes, and some of the latest- 
planted behind a north wall should prolong the season until the- 
early forced Cauliflowers are fit to cut. These quarters can be- 
cleared of stumps and planted with Potatoes at once, and portions- 
according to discretion dug and manured for Dwarf Beans and 
other suitable succession crops. Not that I advocate the absolute 
necessity of following a hard-and-fast rule of the scientific principle- 
of crop rotation, which is that a crop of the same natural order 
should not follow one also belonging to the same order, yet when- 
it can be complied with in a convenient manner, this idea being; 
based on a reasonable theory, is worthy of consideration. Other 
quarters that have been cropped with Carrots, Parsnips, Salsafy,. 
and Leeks will have been manured, dug, or trenched at discretion, 
and will be now awaiting the reception of the crops, as will also- 
other plots previously occupied with Savoys, Coleworts, late: 
Lettuces, late Peas, late Cauliflowers, Dwarf and Runner Beans, 
and various small crops that occupied the ground until destroyed 
by autumn frosts. 
Warm sheltered borders and cosy nooks should have the best of 
attention to enable them to be made the most of. Early Peas, 
Beans, Cauliflowers, Lettuces, Potatoes, and Radishes can be- 
obtained fit for use several weeks before those from more open 
quarters, and, by good management, in satisfactory quantities, from- 
these always too restricted spaces. At present they should be in 
readiness for planting and sowing when a favourable opportunity' 
occurs. One of the most prized of early crops is that of Peas, and 
this is invariably the same in the majority of establishments ; and 
as hard forcing cannot be carried on to any great extent with the- 
same facility as with Dwarf Beans, this also renders them more 
valuable when produced early and in fair quantities. A practice- 
that I have found to meet these requirements must be devoted to- 
a separate article, as this is merely a survey to locate the crop for- 
the ensuing season. 
Where Potatoes are grown in bulk in the garden proper, they 
