282 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
August 
cious, unfertile soil may be made in a few years very 
valuable and productive. As an example of tills, we 
some years since commenced operations on a shallow 
sandy piece of ground, which had not sufficient depth 
of soil to admit of the full length of the spade’s .blade 
being thrust down without bringing up a portion of 
the hungry unfertile subsoil of red sand, so that, on 
beginning to form our sloping banks, we could not 
allow them to be made more than four feet wide at 
the base, and only one foot higher in the centre than 
the natural level of the soil; but now, where there 
were not ten inches of workable surface soil a few 
years since, we have from three to five feet depth of 
the best and easily worked soil, capable of producing 
abundant and luxuriant crops in close succession. 
Indeed, we never allow the ground to lie idle a day; 
and our banks are now formed 12 feet wide at the 
base, and from three to four feet high in the centre. 
Our practice is to mark our ground at the intended 
width, allowing a foot between each hank for alleys, 
and commence our formation at one end by casting 
out the trench for one, two, or more hanks, according 
to circumstances; for, the ground being equally di¬ 
vided, the same width or quantity of soil is always 
left to return with from the opposite end, and thus 
much trouble in wheeling and removing the earth 
from end to end is prevented. 
Instead of laying the earth smooth and fine as we 
proceed, we form the slopes as roughly as possible, 
or cast the earth into ridges as open as can be, to 
admit of the influence of the atmosphere. This in¬ 
fluence is of essential consequence if the soil has 
been previously manured with charcoal, and is to be 
cropped at once. We then fork, or scarify, the sur¬ 
face down, and sow or plant immediately, without 
making too fine a tilth, for often, if the surface is 
made too fine, and heavy rain should follow close upon 
the operation, the best prepared earth becoming caked 
or surface bound prevents the kindly coming up of 
the young seedlings, and starves the young plants. 
The soil placed in this sloping position is healthy at 
all seasons, which is a great advantage to cropping; 
it is also convenient for surface hoeing, planting, 
sowing, or gathering the crops. These banks have 
also a pleasing appearance for kitchen garden crops, 
and various aspects are thereby secured. One bank, 
also, shelters the other from cutting winds, securing 
more healthy plants, and producing earlier crops from 
the warmest sides. 
Where one bank is only to be made, we mark out 
our space the intended width, run aline up the centre, 
make a mark, or place down a few sticks; commence 
at one end, by carrying one spit in width on each 
side of the centre, casting both together, forming a 
ridge, then following by casting up the sides to it, 
breaking up the subsoil as we proceed. Another way, 
which we also practise, is first marking out one bank 
as above the desired width for two or three, and 
commencing at one end by taking out a trench the 
entire width, and trenching the whole into a sloping 
bank as we proceed, mixing in the manure regularly 
when any is to be applied, and leaving the surface in 
rough ridges the cross way. We also trench down all 
the refuse that comes to hand, char everything that 
is convertible and cannot be turned to better account, 
and apply the same to our crops of all kinds. 
Young Cauliflowers and Lettuce. —If close hu¬ 
mid weather prevails, sift dry dust amongst those just 
up, which will prevent the ravages of canker and 
mildew. Sow again a little of the winter lettuces to 
stand in the seed bed. Those who grow cauliflowers 
under glass should have it now washed in readiness, 
and the bed of sweet soil prepared. 
Onions. —Sow now again for standing the winter 
for spring planting. James Barnes. 
Erratum.— At page 258, for “sow leeks,” read “plant leeks.” 
MISCELLANEOUS INLOEMATION. 
ALLOTMENT GARDENING EOR 
SEPTEMBER. 
We are now approaching fast to the confines of 
the year, and the sere foliage and changing tints of 
sober autumn, russet clad, will soon remind us of 
the return of that period where the old maxim, “ sale 
bind, safe find,” will be of general application. We 
here, of course, allude to the housing or collecting 
of winter stores, whether it be the potato, the onion, 
the carrot, the parsnip, the beet, or the Swede. 
It is certainly somewhat early to sound the note of 
preparation; we do so, however, in order to call our 
allotment friends to account, to put them on the 
alert in due time in making provision for the ap¬ 
proaching dull period of the year, and in order that 
they may not be taken by surprise. We may here 
express a hope that those who have been advised by 
our allotment papers, and who have earnestly put in 
practice the maxims therein laid down, will now 
begin to find that “ the sweat of the brow,” conse¬ 
quent on earnest cultivation, is about to be amply 
repaid by prospects of a good wintering, added to 
which we must also include the happiness arising 
from a consciousness of manly independence, that 
glorious product so peculiar to the British soil, aud 
which gives to her sons that sturdiness and that 
moral weight which is, and has been, the admira¬ 
tion and the envy of our continental neighbours. 
Long may it flourish and increase. Now to busi¬ 
ness. Our labours will at this period be somewhat 
light in addressing ourselves to those who have been 
gardening in earnest through spring and summer; 
to the sluggard we may merely address the words of 
Solomon, “ Go to the ant.” The first feature of allot¬ 
ment affairs that strike us is the commencement of 
the storing season, and, as foremost on the list, we 
give 
The Onion. —This is a most important item in 
the cottager’s fare; we were almost going to say his 
only condiment, but we are forcibly reminded, at 
the same time, of his pickled cabbage, his nastur¬ 
tiums, &c. &c., for, now he can cultivate his vinegar 
plant, we do hope to hear that his comforts are in 
the ascending scale. By the time our monthly 
remarks reach allotment holders, many will have 
drawn their onion beds, especially in the south. 
Many more, however, will find them a tardy har¬ 
vest, particularly those of the north, and who well 
know that it requires some care, if the weather prove 
wet, to get them housed in keeping order. 
Bending down Onions. —We have often heard it 
argued as to whether onions should he bent down or 
not ; the question, however, lies in a narrow com¬ 
pass, according to our views. We say, if the summer 
is fine, and your onions being forward fall down of 
themselves, so much the better. If some of these con¬ 
ditions are reversed, and you find your onions still 
unbending towards the end of August, why then, we 
say, by all means bend them down, and thus induce 
a more early ripeness, and, by consequence, a better 
keeping store. We have also another reason for this 
