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THE COTTAGE GAKDENER. 
NovEJiKEr. 4. 
I 
Caledonian (Tnverloitli Row), Edinburgh, Dec. 2. 
IlAMPsnmE, Nov. 18 (Winchester). {Sec. Rev. E. Wick¬ 
ham, Winchester.) 
London Eloiucultural (Pixeter Hall, Strand), Nov. !)+, 
20, Dec. 14+. 
North London, Nov. 20, Chrysanthemum. 
South London (Royal), Nov. 11+, Deo. !)+, ]0. 
POULTRY SHOWS. 
BmunNC.HAM and Midland Counties, 14th, 15th, ICth, 
and 17th December. 
Bristol Agricultural, December 7th, Bth, and nth. 
{Sec. .Tames Marmont.) 
Cornwall (Penzance), January 10th, and lltli. {Scc.^. 
Rev. W. AV. AVingtield, Gulval A'icarage, and E. H. 
Rodd, Esq.) 
TIorchestf.r, Nov. 18th. {Sec., G. T. Andrew's, Esq., Dor- 
clmster.) 
IIoniton, January 12th. {Sec. II. K. A’enn.) 
AA'inchester, DeceJiiber 1st. {Secs. G. W. .fohnson and 
J. Colson.) 
I For seedlings only. 
OOMBINA'JTON OF FRUIT AND A^EGETABLE 
CULTURE. 
This may at first sight seem an easy affair, hut, 
judging from the many very had specimens of gardening 
in this way we have met with, the reverse would seem 
to be the fact. A demand seems to e.xist amongst one 
piortion of the subscribers to this W'ork to possess some 
sound information concerning it, and, as w'e must try to 
attend to all the interests eonlided to the advice of The 
Cottage Gardenep., the sooner it is proceeded with the 
better, on account of the planting season. 
One correspondent, who may he fairly taken as a 
sample, wishes to plant a first-rate Orchard on this 
system, and says, “ J mention the land being my own, to 
convey to you that I should siiare neither pains nor fair 
expense in having a first-rate Orchard." lie says, also, 
“ The soil is a clay marl, (!) eighteen inches deep, on a 
clay subsoil si.x inches, and under is marl an endless 
depth. I have had it drained; pipes are put below'the 
clay into the marl. I have been cultivating it with 
jiarsnips, carrots, potatoes, and cabbage, and 1 mean to 
continue this.” Now this is not only a possible, but a 
highly eligible course, csiiecially in these times, when 
recent political changes lead men to consider whether 
ev'en their garden policies may not be changed, or 
modified, to meet the times. 
Now, although this mode of mixing fruit with vege¬ 
table culture has been much decried by some public 
advisers, yet, with proper management, wo think it the 
very best plan, economically or for convenience. In the 
first place, many of our readers require the use of both 
daily, and have not space for a distinct Orchard. They 
may also desire so to cultivate it as to make it not only 
serve their family, but turn to some profit in the market 
by the sale of surplus stuff. Another matter ; a garden 
of this kind is exceedingly interesting the whole year, 
and this can scarcely he said of the Orchard alone, and 
it affords healthful exercise continuaUy for those who 
enjoy a little out-door employ ; the pleasure of which is 
continually enhanced by the sight or thought of Rib- 
ston’s, of the Maria Louise Rear, or luscious Plums, 
and the useful Damson, to say nothing of the hush-fruit. 
VVe rejoice to think that such are extending rapidly, 
and hope to be the medium of suggesting useful ideas, 
founded on much experience and constant practice, to 
those about to commence, and who, to excel, slrould 
measure their steps carefully. It is needless to discuss 
soils in the present ])a])er, any farther than to observe, 
that almost any soil is convertible into this double pur¬ 
pose by skill, labour, and material. Of course, those 
which require most, involve the largest outlay, together 
with reduced chances of that amount of success, without 
which it cannot prove satisfactory. A good sound loam, 
slightly adhesive, resting on a dry bottom, is best of all, 
and should be from a foot to thirty inches deep; the 
nearer the latter the better for growing good sized 
trees. AVhere the soil is only a foot or less, a dwarfing 
system had better be adopted. AYhatever soils are 
selected, it should be made a sine qua non that the 
subsoil be dry, or rendered so. Peaty soils are probably 
the worst; but, barring the extra expense of improving, 
give no cause for despair. Loose sands are the most 
unfortunate of all; but these might be made to carry 
damsons, some cherries, and gooseberries. AVe, lately, 
saw some good examples of culture of this kind about 
Hexham, in Northumberland, at least, such they ap¬ 
peared from the windows of our steamer; but the rate j 
at which we were whisked from Carlisle to Newcastle 
precluded the possibility of making any accurate obser¬ 
vation. One of the principal things in this system, is 
to see that a very liberal width is allowed let ween the | 
rows of trees, at the same time planting them what | 
might bo called pretty close in the rows. Tliere needssome I 
“breathing room” between the rows, besides cultural 
space ; but it will be observed, no cultural operations but i 
such as have a reference to the roots of the trees, may 
be permitted between them in the rows. Such, at least, 
should be our practice; and we dare not advise any other. 
Another principle must he pointed to ; there must be 
no irregularity in cropping ; everything must be in 
straight lines, and the rows of trees run, if possible, 
north and south. Any dodging irregularity, any break¬ 
ing in here and there because the trees in such places 
have not made equal progress with the rest, will assur¬ 
edly compromise the chief end and lead to confusion. 
Next in importance to good breathing room, is a re¬ 
cognition of a maxim which we long since suggested in 
these pages, viz., that every fruit tree should, under all 
circumstances, have a piece of ground peculiarly its 
own. It is, indeed, the want of a full appreciation of 
this which has caused three-fourths of the bungling in 
fruit-culture from time immemorial. Our pot-cultiva¬ 
tors of fruits recognise its importance; who ever hears 
tell of the great Mr. Potvine (not Poittovin) trowelling 
over the surface of liis Hambro’s in large pots, and full 
of swelling fruit, and trying to steal a crop of small 
salad or lettuce i'rom the surface, not merely at the ex¬ 
pense of the quality of the soil given to the vines, but 
at the cost of valuable fibres; every one of which is 
wanted constantly on duty; aye, and more too, if pro¬ 
curable ? This then, we urge, is the true policy in our 
present case. 
Having planned the Garden-Orchard, for we must 
endeavour to coin a name for this necessary evil, as to 
size, distance, &c., &c., let beds of soil be thrown up 
nearly a foot above the ordinary ground-level, in lines 
where the rows of trees are to be planted ; these beds to 
be four feet wide at first, and continuous, lengthwise. 
The trees being jdanted in these lines will, when fixed, 
have nearly half the depth of their roots above the 
ground-level, a necessary procedure both for distinct¬ 
ness and in order to keep them as much as possible 
from descending into the subsoil. This four-feet border 
will suffice during the first three years, and after this wo 
would make a point, of adding one foot on each side 
every second year. Thus, in the fourth year, it would 1 
be six feet; in the sixth, eight feet; and in the eighth 
year ten feet, which we should consider the final width, 
unless for very large orchard trees. At the first setting- 
out there should he an alley of two feet for operations ; 
and this, on making eacli two year’s addition to the 
border, would have, of course, to recede a foot farther 
from the trees on each side of the row. On thus re¬ 
moving the alley, occasion may be taken to add extra ; 
