December li, 1886. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
220 
those who know as much about using a spade as I do 
about driving a steam engine ; consequently the work 
is done in a slipshod, slovenly kind of fashion. 
But why all this ado about digging ? ” some may 
ask. “Providing I manure my soil and turn it over, 
what more can it require?” To that assumed question 
I would make answer and say, Because the success or 
failure of the crops we intend to grow in the soil 
depends in no small degree upon the manner in which 
we prepare it. All work that is worth doing at all, is 
worth doing well, and this is especially true of preparing 
the soil for next year’s crops. There are three kinds of 
digging practised—namely : double digging or trench¬ 
ing, ridging and flat digging. I will say a little about 
each of these methods, taking them in the order in 
which they are named. 
Double-digging, or as it is more commonly called— 
trenching, takes the longest time, but I have never yet 
come across a soil that did not pay well for the labour 
and time taken. For all deep-rooting crops, especially if 
the soil is at all heavy, this kind of digging is absolutely 
necessary, not every year certainly, though it would be 
none the worse for it, but at least once in every three or 
four years. Supposing then, you have a quarter cleared 
of its summer crops, which you intend to trench, proceed 
in the following manner : mark off a piece at one end 
of the quarter a yard wide, which can easily be done 
by having a yard stick at each end, running the line 
across and cutting out a “nick” with the spade, then 
measure off, and set your line for the next trench. 
Supposing the quarter to be lower at one end than the 
other, commence at the lowest end, as it is scarcely 
necessary for me to say that soil shifts easiest down hill. 
Commence now to open a trench ; dig out a good spit 
deep, and wheel it, or what is better, cart it to the 
end where you will finish. If the soil is of the same 
nature some 2 ft. or 2J ft. deep, take it out to that 
depth ; hut if the bottom spit be what is termed 
“hungry” soil, that is, consisting of sand, gravel, 
marl, &c., do not bring it to the surface, but break it 
up with the spade, or a strong fork to the depth 
named. All manure should be worked in between the 
two spits, whatever the nature of the soil may be, also 
any garden refuse that may have been collected during 
the summer, may, in this manner, with immense ad¬ 
vantage to the soil, be got rid of. Also, providing the 
soil is of a heavy retentive nature, any broken refuse, in 
the shape of brick-bats, broken tiles, lime-rubble, &c., 
that you can get may be placed at the bottom of the 
trench. These will serve their purpose well for drain¬ 
age. I may just add that it is better to leave the 
trenches highest in the middle, as the frost will then 
have a better chance to do its work. 
As it would be next to impossible to trench all the 
garden in one year, the next best method is to ridge 
it, which should be done as follows :—Spread on the 
manure and refuse that is intended to be worked in, 
then with a line and drill hoe, mark off strips of land 
2 ft. or 2^ ft. wide ; take out from where you intend to 
start a good barrowful of soil, and wheel it to where you 
will finish, which can easily be determined by counting 
the marks, then work up and down the quarter carry¬ 
ing one strip at a time ; keep the soil well from your 
toes, carefully banking or layeriug it in ridges, which 
is done by turning the spade inwards from the right 
and left marks, and laying the remainder on the top ; 
by so doing, hollows or furrows will be formed where 
the marks were. For all purposes I would advise the 
above methods, but to those who will persist in flat 
digging I would say, do it well. Open a trench where 
you intend to start, at least 1 ft. wide, and a good spit 
deep ; wheel it to the end where you will finish. Some 
throw it out on the land to be dug, but the neatest, 
and in the end the quickest way, is as I have advised. 
1 have simply to add that the easiest and best way to 
proceed, is to keep a good trench so that manure and 
any leaves or rubbish may be well buried. I have 
often lost my patience with some men—jobbing gar¬ 
deners for instance — who will take up a spadeful of 
soil and drop it down again almost in the same place, 
carrying a trench scarcely big enough to bury a rat in. 
Let the spade be well driven down, each spadeful 
well thrown back and turned “topsy-turvy.” This 
can be done by a sharp twist of the spade ; each spadeful 
should stand on its end, and the land when dug should 
look like so many bricks leaning against each other in 
a half upright position. Let it remain rough, the 
rougher the better. 
The immense good which the soil derives from being 
well exposed to atmospheric influences, is one reason 
for advising the surface to be left rough. It is mar¬ 
vellous how beneficially frosts and cold cutting winds 
act upon the soil. Take land that has been trenched 
or ridged ; in an ordinary winter these ridges get frozen 
through, and this, with the cold March winds, will 
pulverise and reduce the most stubborn soils to 
crumbling earth. By breaking up the soil to a good 
depth, how much better chance is given to roots to 
strike deep down, and travel here and there in search 
of the food they need ! I always look upon trenching 
as being equal in value to half a dressing of manure, 
and in some instances it is worth more. 
In conclusion, let me ask those for whom these re¬ 
marks are intended to follow out the simple suggestions 
given, and they will not have to quarrel with their soil 
when the time arrives for sowing their Onions, Par¬ 
snips, &c. Perhaps, after all, some will still think 
there is a little “art” in digging.— IV. Harvey, 
Spalding. 
-- 
THE NATIONAL CHRYSANTHE¬ 
MUM SOCIETY’S MEDAL. 
For chasteness, beauty of design, and appropriate¬ 
ness of character, we know of few medals offered by 
horticultural societies that surpass that of the 
National Chrysanthemum Society, of which the accom¬ 
panying is an engraving, showing both sides. Either 
in silver or bronze it is equally beautiful, and we are 
National Chrysanthemum Society’s Medal. 
not surprised that Chrysanthemum growers should be 
so anxious to become the possessor of one or more of 
them. They are offered for competition only at the 
National Society’s own exhibitions, and at the annual 
shows of those societies which are in affiliation with it. 
When the leading society wisely extended its borders 
and became national in character, its managers saga¬ 
ciously introduced the medals as appropriate awards ; 
and the eagerness with which exhibitors aspire to win 
them, proves that their introduction has been a real 
benefit to the society. We should add that great 
praise is due to Mr. J. Pinches, for the highly finished 
manner in which they are turned out. 
Washing Vegetables.— M. H. J. Van Hulle, of 
Ghent, writes in a recent issue of the Bulletin d'Ar¬ 
bor iculture : — “ Peas, Beans, Haricots, &c., ought not 
to be washed, and in a dry state they should be passed 
quickly through the water just as they are to be put 
into the saucepan. All roots and tubers should remain 
in the earth until they are needed, and should not be 
cleansed until they are wanted for cooking. With 
respect to those vegetables of which the foliage is eaten, 
they should not be washed if it is possible to avoid! 
doing so. They should be examined to see if they are' 
clean, and whether simply brushing with a dry brush 
will suffice. In any case, never wash them till just 
before cooking.” 
THE POTATO EXPERIMENTS AT 
READING. 
I am sorry to observe in the horticultural press that in 
relation to recent Potato experiments, some reflections 
have been made in regard to the authorities at Kew. 
With Mr. Baker, F.R.S., of Kew, I have to-day 
visited the Reading collection ; we have been vastly 
interested, and I am allowed to say for both of us, 
instructed. 
Messrs. Sutton and myself are the persons most in¬ 
terested, and I beg to add we are grateful to the Kew 
authorities for unvarying attention and kindness, and 
we have nothing but appreciation to express in regard 
to that invaluable institution.— Cathcart , 50, Portland 
Place, London, IV., December 4th, 1886. 
[Earl Cathcart’s letter, while paying a graceful 
compliment to the authorities at Kew, is strangely 
silent upon the special point at issue, and leaves us 
as much in the dark as we were before. We note 
with pleasure, however, a vast difference in tone be¬ 
tween his lordship’s communication, and that made 
to a contemporary last week by Mr. Baker. In showing 
temper injudiciously, Mr. Baker has been tempted to 
indulge in charges against Mr. A. W. Sutton which 
are deplorably unjust, and do but show that even men 
of science can show as much animus and even anger 
as ordinary mortals when the tails of their coats 
get trodden upon. We know for certain, and others 
know as well as ourselves, that in pointing out 
the comparative failure which had attended earnest 
and patient effort to produce really new Potato strains 
through a mistake—which Mr. Baker now, and Lord 
Cathcart previously disclaimed—Mr. Sutton was anxious 
that nothing should be said which could seem in any 
way to reflect on the Kew authorities, or in any way give 
pain to Mr. Baker. Of course, we, as journalists, are 
not bound in any way ; but as we feel that the public 
interests as well as the private reputation of Mr. 
Sutton, who has been so intimately concerned in these 
experiments, demanded that the entire facts should be 
stated ; we did so amply, in the fullest belief that 
thereby the interests of truth as well as of the public 
would be best served. A mistake undoubtedly oc¬ 
curred, and we have seen Earl Cathcart’s evidence 
that it did not occur with him ; it did not occur at 
Reading, and Mr. Baker protests energetically that it 
was not made at Kew. Then where and by whom was 
the blunder committed? If the scientists who consider 
it would be better to let the matter rest as it now stands, 
know where the blunder was committed, let them openly 
say so. None of us are infallible, but we do protest 
against those men who have no claim to be considered 
scientific, being, even by inference, reproached for 
errors they have not committed.—E d.] 
-->:£<-- 
PLANTING IVY 
In planting Ivy with a view of covering walls, either 
for ornament or to improve the appearance of some 
Unsightly object, it is the usual practice to pay great 
attention to the regulating of the branches, and neatly 
nailing the shoots to the wall in a uniform manner ; 
this, as a matter of course, involves a considerable 
amount of time and labour, especially should there be 
many plants to be so treated ; again, if we study the 
habit and disposition of the plant, we must at once be¬ 
come cognisant of the fact that such treatment is by 
no means natural, but artificial, and I have ever observed 
that the closer we adhere to the laws that govern and 
regulate nature in her various forms, the more certain 
are we of being rewarded for any labour bestowed in 
aiding her grand and mighty work. 
Hence in such a simple matter as the planting of Ivy 
with the object stated, I dispense altogether with nails 
and shreds, and what I conceive to be unnecessary time 
and labour ; for instance, assuming that I have several 
plants, in pots or out of pots, to plant, they are put in 
at regular distances according to the length of the 
.growths, and which are placed in a horizontal position, 
and pegged close to the wall or fence into good light 
mould, giving the appearance when completed of a 
neat green edging ; having done thus much, no more 
attention is required at any time. So soon as the 
■season commences, the roots from the layered plants 
are produced en masse, and innumerable buds start into 
growth, which at once lay hold at the very base of 
whatever the plants are intended to cover. I may 
■state that more than twelve years ago I planted as 
