44 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
October 17. 
is beneficial, for the leaves shade the ground from the 
sun, keep down the weeds, and, as I allow the leaves to 
rot upon the ground, it is increased, and thus feeds the 
roots of the trees. So good is the crop, that I fully cal¬ 
culate it is worth, at least, ten pounds an acre, or very 
likely one-third more than that. 1 do believe, two annual 
crops of vegetables might be taken off woods so planted, 
and then all the expenses would be more than covered. 
The trees ought to be carefully gone over during the 
first summer, and all branches that are likely to injure 
the leading shoot either shortened-in, or cut clean off at 
once. This 1 must leave to the judgment of the forester 
who has the charge of them. T. Appleby. 
(2'o he continued.) 
SEASONABLE WORKS—DEEP CULTIVATION- 
GRAVELLY SOILS. 
It is very likely that before this paper reaches 
the readers of The Cottage Gardener the tine 
I weather we have so long enjoyed this autumn may 
; have changed, but if not, it would be advisable for the 
amateur and others to make the most use of it, in 
pushing on any alterations or extraordinary work that 
may be wanted; for, independent of the advantage of 
getting on with the winter work, there are many things 
much better done now than at a later period, conse¬ 
quently, no time must be lost in hastening on such work. 
In the kitchen-garden all vacant ground may either be 
dug or trenched, and all rubbishy crops cleared away, 
and all work connected with the altering or making of 
walks or roads proceeded with. Dung and other 
manures may be got on prior to digging, and many 
other jobs forwarded in such a way as to leave nothing 
to be done hereafter that can be done now. Weeds 
need not be mentioned, as it is expected advantage was 
taken of the fine weather to eradicate them as they 
appeared ; and, assuredly, there never was a more favour¬ 
able season for so doing; for, independent of the fine 
autumn, there was a fine spring likewise, and it is to 
be hoped, that the weeds will have got such a dressing 
j this season as will prevent their showing themselves in 
any numbers another year. However, as there may 
j yet be some places where a thorough clearing out will 
be of advantage, a fine, dry autumn forms the best 
opportunity for that work as well as many others. 
This, also, is an excellent time to see about the 
planting of fruit and other trees. Evergreens cannot 
possibly be planted too soon after the middle of Sep¬ 
tember, and the few leaves now remaining on deciduous 
ones will not be any detriment to them, as their func¬ 
tions will be about over for the season; but, if any 
doubt exist in that way, the process might be delayed 
for a time, only let the holes be prepared for their 
reception, and all other preliminary work done. But it 
must be only on the very coldest soils that the leaves of 
deciduous trees have any useful purpose to perform now; 
and even then, it is questionable whether ripening would 
not be accelerated rather than hindered by the change; 
while the trees that do remain, but which it is intended 
to replenish with a quantity of fresh material, cannot 
possibly be done at a better time than the present, 
{ when wheelbarrow and carting work can be so advan¬ 
tageously accomplished. Amongst other multifarious 
duties which may be most effectually accomplished in 
dry weather, that of altering or amending turf, is 
not, perhaps, the best done at this time; but when any 
amount of earth-work is to move, it cannot possibly 
be done at a better time than when dry; and as there 
is no danger of its continuing so dry now as to prevent 
the turf growing, it need not be deferred on that 
account; while the advantage of making use of existing 
walks, and other grass plots adjoining, is too obvious to 
require mentioning here. Suffice it to say, that there 
are few, perhaps no out-door operations, which are not 
better done in dry weather than in wet, at this season of 
the year. 
Recurring again to the vacant quarters of the kitchen- 
garden, it would be worth while enquiring when such 
were last trenched, and see if they cannot now be done 
with every prospect of success. In a general way, j 
vegetables cannot have too deep a soil, provided it be 
good. Trees, especially fruit-trees, may, in many in¬ 
stances, be the better by the downward tendency of then- 
roots being checked by a substratum less congenial to 
their wants; but in general, all vegetables delight in a ; 
deep soil, and many will not thrive well unless they be 
furnished with such an one. It is, therefore, advisable, 
now and then, to trench over the quarters of the kitchen- 
garden, so as to accommodate them in that way, generally 
speaking, after the ground has been trenched,—say two 
feet deep; the subsequent diggings seldom go lower than 
twelve inches, and often not so much, cpnsequently, the 
under portion becomes hard again, and if not com¬ 
pletely impenetrable to roots, at least so much so as to 
be no ways inviting to them, and, consequently, useless. 
The present is the best possible time to effect a deep 
-stirring of the soil; but as different soils require a 
difference in their treatment, it would be as well to 
consider that matter first, and give to each the atten¬ 
tion its case requires. 
It is almost needless to say, that light lauds on a 
hungry gravel, or something approaohing to that, are 
the worst to withstand a continued drought; for, in¬ 
dependent of the drain caused by the growing plant, 
the substratum also sucks a considerable portion of 
moisture as well, instead of furnishing any to the 
advantage of the plant. Now, in such a soil, neither 
moisture nor sustenance can well be spared—conse¬ 
quently, it is of consequence to husband what is there, 
as well as to furnish what more can be got; and, in 
doing so, recourse must be had to trenching. 
A similar course is also necessary, now and then, on 
stiff lands, but from a widely different cause. But, as this 
will probably bo made the subject of another chapter, I 
will proceed at once with the treatment best calculated 
to make a light, hungry soil more productive than it 
had previously been. 
It is a common remark, that a light, gravelly soil re¬ 
quires fresh manuring each crop ; for what the last one 
has not exhausted is supposed to have been washed 
down through into the inert mass below. Now, in order 
to bring this stubborn subsoil into play, it is necessary 
to break it up, and instead of bringing it to the top at 
trenching time, to be content with allowing it to remain 
at the bottom still; at the same time, anything may be 
added to it that is not exactly diametrically opposed 
to it in construction, such, for instance, as mixing 
peat-earth with one containing lime, or chalk, to excess, 
for the two agents being opposed to each other, devour 
each other when they come in contact, without forming 
a compound at all of any use; however, as it would be 
useless adding peat to gravel, 1 may add, that clay 
might advantageously be so used, and would recommend 
it to be done rather largely. 
The routine of the work is this: After removing the 
top spit, which it is supposed is all the best of the soil, 
the bottom portion might be dug deeply with forks where 
it is, digging in at the same time any required quantity 
of clay, or other stiffening matter, as, for instance, pond- 
mud, or, in fact, anything, save some of itself again. 
This digging, or packing up, to be effectually done, in 
order to allow the plants which the ground may be 
cropped with an opportunity of rooting into this under¬ 
stratum, and if a little good earth, or other enticing 
matter, did now and then get amongst it, so much the 
