necessarily be of some depth to admit of the operation; | one department of labour. Time is money to a farmer; but there are few districts where such soil will not be found in sufficient abundance to give ample employment to the surplus population of the neighbourhood. Now, this is going on in a county where agricultural labourers are better employed than almost any other in Great Britain. The system was not introduced, nor is it persevered in, for the purpose of giving employment to the poor, but entirely for the benefit of the employer. The East Lothian Agricultural Society are now offering premiums for the most satisfactory reports on the subject. I last year received a medal from the High-repeat, that if these latter remarks possess any acculand Society of Scotland for introducing the system; and, what I value still more, I received a piece of plate from the labourers I employed, as a token of their gratitude. The system, I admit, is only in its infancy, but I have this year put it completely to the test; and should it succeed as well as it has done hitherto, it must take root and spread over the kingdom; and the landed interest in those districts of England where the poor-laws are so oppressive, and still more, the Irish proprietors, will do well to investigate the system, and have it introduced with the least possible delay, that what is now a burden on their estates may become a source of wealth, and what is now a curse may become a blessing. let him lose a week in a critical season, and the delay may be highly injurious to him in many respects. Promptitude and dispatch are essential to his completion of farm labours at the proper times: without the aid which improved machinery affords him, it would be utterly impossible for him to get through his work in due course. Let him abandon the more rapidly working plough, and take the tedious spade, and he will soon heartily regret his exchange. After what we have premised on this subject, it is almost superfluous to racy at all, they are merely true in their application to large farmers, and not intended by any means to affect the subject as it is connected with the cottier or small farmer, who has rarely any capital but his labour, and ' needs no other if he be suffered to use it freely and fairly.' What is the limit, then, to the capital of his labour? What sized farm should he have that will make it the most productive? Why, the exact amount, and no more, to which he can apply all his capital. Has he a family, he may then have more capital of labour to bestow by their assistance; consequently a larger allotment will be needed to employ all the capital of more extended labour. If he be single, then less, of course, will suffice." This system, if it succeed to my expectation, posses- The only point that remains to be settled is one conses all the requisites you require; it furnishes employ- nected with political economy. It is alleged by the ment for the surplus population by substituting manual leading political economists of England, that cottage labour for that of horses and certainly, if there is a farming (see article Cottage System in the Encyclopædia lack of food for both, it is desirable that the one should Britannica), while calculated to promote the growth of give place to the other. It will make bread plenty, as a population of paupers, is only distracting manual the naked summer fallows of Great Britain will be co- labour from its proper field of employment. But this vered with grain instead of lying waste for a season; it allegation proceeds on an unproved assumption. If it will render corn laws unnecessary, as we will be then could be shown that every able-bodied man could make independent of foreign supplies; farmers will be en- five shillings a-day by working as a weaver, at a facriched who are enterprising and industrious, and they tory, or any other branch of labour, the assertion would only deserve to be so; it will raise rents, by increasing in part be correct; but such is not the case. There the capabilities of the soil, enabling the farmer to cul- are countries in which remunerative employment cantivate wheat to double the present extent; it will raise not be permanently had, and in such situations-to up a home-market for our manufactures, as the paupers, which society in England seems advancing the choice who are at present starving, or living a burden on the is in a great measure between spade husbandry and parish, will find employment, and thereby be enabled starvation, not between spade husbandry and well-paid to procure the necessaries and comforts of life; it will employment. Besides, the political economist entirely check the poor-laws, as there will then be none but the overlooks the fact, that the cottage-farmer derives aged and the helpless dependent on parochial aid." immense advantages from the labour of his wife and children, not one of whom, most likely, would be able to earn a penny at any kind of labour in towns. It is by calling up these engines to assist him that he can outdo the large farmer with all his capital and machinery-a fact distinctly proved, at least as respecta the keeping of cows and selling their produce; no joint-stock company of cowkeepers being able to com Stronger testimony in favour of spade husbandry could not well be adduced, but we doubt its being generally practised with success in the ordinary routine of agriculture. It seems to be best suited for mere cottage farming, in which the labour is of little exchangeable value. Referring to this point, the Rev. Mr Hickey (Martin Doyle), in his Cyclopedia of Practical Husbandry, observes-"On even an exten-pete with the miscellaneous and unmarketable labour sive scale of farming, we recommend spade husbandry in potato or cabbage culture, but not for general crops. However gratifying to the benevolence of an individual farmer it may be to employ a vast number of men to dig his land in preference to the usual course of plough and horse-labour, he must consider that there is a limit beyond which he cannot multiply his labourers without occasional inconvenience and perplexity to himself, and without unceasing superintendence. Should any of the numerous causes which may occasion a change of occupiers on a given farm, or a change of system occur, what is to become of the numerous families collected by an individual who has largely introduced the practice of manual labour, and confined his operations to that system alone? What is to become of an excessive population of agricultural labourers, if their services be no longer required by the successor of the spade-husbandry farmer? If any one replies, Oh, let the system be generally introduced, and there can be no danger of their want of employ ment somewhere,' the answer is plain. If you substitute the spade for the plough to such an extent, you raise the price of labourers beyond what you can afford to pay, and you diminish the chances of success in your general farm operations, by giving up too much time to of a humble dairyman and his family. As to the alle gation that cottage-farming would cause a deterioration in society, it is also founded on narrow views. In some parts of the canton of Vaud and elsewhere in Switzer land, where the farms are all small, and mostly wrought by their proprietors, there is no pauperism worthy of the name, no overplus population; and who would compare the orderliness of manners, the sobriety and thriftiness of the people, and the small amount of crime in that country, with the vice, intemperance, and poverty, for which England and Scotland, with all their large and splendid farms, are now becoming unhappily distinguished? It might be difficult to prove that large farms have been, in any material degree, the cause of the social evils now exciting so much attention; but it is clear that they have not prevented those evils Without going so far as to say that cottage-farming would furnish a universal remedy, we think that, inde pendently of its use in increasing the productive sur face of the country, it would at least afford some relief, and add to that section of the population which is stil in a healthful moral condition." Printed and Published by W. and R. CHAMBERS, Edinburgh 39 CHAMBERS'S INFORMATION FOR THE PEOPLE. CONDUCTED BY WILLIAM AND ROBERT CHAMBERS, EDITORS OF CHAMBERS'S NUMBER 73. NEW AND IMPROVED SERIES. THE KITCHEN GARDEN. PRICE 1d. as to situation, select by all means a spot which lies with an easy slope-an angle, for instance, of fifteen degrees -towards the sun at his meridian. In the British islands, this will be facing the south. The next best exposure is towards the south-west, and the next is the west. Avoid a northern or castern exposure. An exposure towards the morning and mid-day sun, even though at a very small inclination, is as good as being many degrees farther south; hoar-frost on the grass and plants will be melted within an hour after sunrise; whereas, if the garden lie in the smallest degree away from the sun, the hoar-frost will remain unchanged perhaps the whole day. Allow no house, wall, or trees, to interrupt the fair action of the morning sun on your garden; for the sun is the main agent in bringing all things to perfection, and if you be deprived of it, your operations will be blighted and retarded in every possible way. So important are the sun's rays, that, if your garden be small, rather have no wall on the south and west sides, but only a low fence, than submit to their exclusion. Some gardens are so disposed that they receive the sun in abundance in summer, but only partially the rest of the year. These gardens are imperfect. The garden should be visited all over by the sun daily, except, perhaps, in the heart of winter, when his rays are of comparatively little use. The exposure should also allow a free admission and currency of air; for this reason a garden is best away from a wood, and is most advantageously placed in an open sloping lawn, overlooked by, or near, the house of the proprietor. THERE are various kinds of gardens-the Italian gardens, with their splendid terraces, vases, and statues; the old French gardens of Le Notre, of which we have a specimen at Versailles, with their long straight walks, clipt hedges, formal parterres, and fountains; English gardens, with their elegant blending of natural with artificial beauty; and so on. But it is none of these princely kinds of gardens which will engage our attention in the present and succeeding sheets. We propose to treat of the three departments which belong to the greater number of gardens of the middle and humbler classes; those, in short, which, designed on a moderate scale, are intended to afford the three staples of garden culture-vegetables for the kitchen, flowers to charm the eye, and the more easily attainable kinds of fruit. These various articles are for the greater part the production of one garden, a section or scattered part being set aside for each; but, for the sake of clearness, we shall confine ourselves in the presented in the adjoining sheet chiefly to the economy and products of the kitchen garden. LAYING OUT OF GARDENS. The shape of a garden is of little consequence. It may be square, oblong, semi-circular, or irregular, according to taste or local circumstances. In the greater number of instances, an oblong, as representfigure, will be found most convenient. It a b eli 1 Fig. 1. A garden of the ordinary mixed description usually entrance marked e. extends from the eighth of an acre to a whole acre; Within the wall is a but the more common size in country places is about border of several feet wide, and dotted round with half an acre. Whatever be the dimensions, the garden flowers or flowering shrubs. Next is a gravel walk; ought to be enclosed with a wall from ten to twelve and within is another border containing fruit bushes, feet high, and, if possible, be surrounded by a strip of or perhaps fruit trees on espaliers, and in the centre eatured land, which should be fenced with a hedge and is the body of the garden laid out in three plots, marked shrubbery, so as to remove the appearance of stiffness a, b, and c. Between these plots and around them are from the walled enclosure, and serve for other useful paths of twelve or fourteen inches in width, not for orpurposes. Besides a wicket or small door for ordinary dinary walking, but for admission to the various plots entrance and exit, there should be a gate that will admit or sections into which the ground may be divided. cart, to take away produce or bring in manure. A These paths are only flattened by the feet and by the ternal appearance, is exposure. In a flat country, the of digging. much more important circumstance than size or an ex-spade, and are to be delved up annually in the course garden must of course be level; but if there be a choice At the opposite side of the garden from the door, there may be supposed to be an arbour or summerhouse, overhung with trailing plants and honeysuckle, and fitted up according to taste. The regular walks in all moderately sized gardens should be not wider than three feet; any thing wider is a mere loss of ground. Much care is required to keep walks in order, for they are very liable to show crops of weeds and grass; but the best remedy is to bottom the walks well with broken cinders from a coal fire; this effectually prevents worms coming up, and also stops the growth of weeds. Over a smooth bed of cinders, put a layer of small gravel that will bind, or, failing this, a layer of brayed yellow ashes from a furnace, if they can be procured. Smooth all with the rake, and flatten with a roller. Many small flowering plants, such as daisies and thrift, are used for edgings to walks; but if not constantly attended to, they straggle over the borders. The most effectual and also the prettiest edging is dwarf box. It is easily set in an even row, grows regularly, requires little trouble in trimming-for it should not be always close shaved-and, summer and winter, is ever fresh and green. ber and melon pits, partially secluded by bushes. In different corners are plots, and round the edgings are the flower parterres, disposed to meet the eye, and to be easily accessible from the walks. In some gardens, much of the ground is overshadowed by fruit trees. This is seriously detrimental to the growth of the plants beneath, exhausts the soil, and prevents the proper flowering and fructification of every vegetable within reach. Permit no tree to overshadow your ground; the only allowable places for trees are the walls and narrow espaliers running up one side of the central plots. When a garden possesses the addition of an outside strip, enclosed by a hedge, the exterior sides of the walls may be lined with fruit trees, and the ground laid out for potatoes and other common classes of vege tables; it will also afford the most proper site for compost dung-heaps and forcing pits. No precise directions can be given respecting garden tools and apparatus; the following are the articles required in moderately sized gardens of a mixed kind :Spades of three sizes, a trowel for lifting flowers, Dutch and common hoes, a broad iron rake, a rake with short teeth for the walks, a small rake for flower borders, a strong clasp-knife for pruning, a pair of strong pruning shears, an axe, a hand-saw, a hammer and nails (those made of zinc are best), a wheelbarrow, a wooden scuttle for carrying a little earth or manure, a roller, a pair of large compasses, a dibble and line, a watering pot, and a ladder. Flower pots of different sizes, conical earthenware blanching pots, bell-hand glasses, and glazed frames of different sizes. These frames are among the most serviceable parts of a garden apparatus, and may be had either in one piece or with a moveable top, as in fig. 2. A neat small kind, framed in zinc, useful for protecting early seedlings or flowers, may be had in London for 1s. 6d. each. Other utensils employed by garden Fig. 2. SOIL DIGGING-COMPOST. The soil of a garden should be deep, rich, and easily penetrable. Whatever it may have been originally, the soil admits of vast improvement, and no trouble can be considered too great to bring it into a good condition. If shallow, trench it according to the plan mentioned in the previous sheet on Spade Husbandry, so as to loosen the subsoil, and gradually bring it into operation above. In many instances the soil is too stiff or clayey. Such a soil may not be unfit for plough husbandry, but is out of place in a garden. The method of loosening and meliorating a clayey soil is to give it a large volume of sand and vegetable manure, which may be delved in at the winter digging, and, at the spring digging, the new and old materials will be well mixed. In general, far too little attention is paid to giving sand as a restorative; such is absolutely necessary in all soils but those of a very sandy nature, because every crop actually carries away a certain proportion of the silica lodged in the soil. If the soil be already too sandy, it may be assisted by clay, mud from ditches, &c. Whatever be the nature of the soil, it should be thoroughly pulverised. Lumps thrown up by digging at the com mencement of winter are meliorated by the frost, and have imbibed nutritious gases from the atmosphere. In spring all should be well delved, dashing every spadeful as it is turned down, and leaving no hard part impervious to the tender roots of the vegetables. A garden should not contain a single stone the size of a boy's marble. Every particle of soil should be capable of doing duty in feeding the plants. It will save much future trouble in lifting stones by the hand, if you would begin by putting every spadeful of mould through a sieve. Persons owning small gardens ought to pay particular attention to this. A working man having only a small patch for his amusement at leisure hours and holidays, could not do any thing more serviceable than to trench his ground bit by bit, and riddle every part of it as he proceeds. ers, such as forcing pumps to wash wall trees, fumigating bellows, &c., need not be particularised. A person possessing only a small garden will shortly discover by experience what are the articles required in his operations. For gardens in which cucumbers and melons are to be grown, glazed frames and brick-built pits will be necessary. It is a great advantage for every garden to have a command of good fresh water for the purpose of irrigation, and also a small pond in which aquatic plants can be grown. If water is procured from a pump-well, it should be allowed to stand in the open air in a trough for at least a day, before being poured on the plants. A garden is in all cases laid out according to the taste or fancy of the proprietor; but there are certain general rules which all follow. The wall is reserved for fruit trees. As fruit trees require much air and sun, the borders must not be clogged up with bushes, peas, or any other tall vegetables. The borders should contain only small articles which are delved up yearly; because the soil at the roots of the trees requires occa sional renewal and loosening, and these operations cannot be done if the ground is encumbered with permanent plants. If a row of gooseberry or other small fruit bushes be placed on the borders, they should be near the outside, and not less than ten feet apart. No garden can be conducted with the least advantage without giving it a regular manuring. If you hunge a garden, it will hunger you in return. In connexion with every rightly-managed garden, there must either be a compost heap, in which dung is preparing for se or there must be some means of readily purchasing old manure when it is required. The manures employed are the same as in agriculture (see article on that subject), but being required for a more delicate purp they must in general be well rotted and ready to unde with the soil. A compost dung-heap is prepared by putting alternate layers of stable dung, or night soil, with earth, weeds, and general offal of vegetation-tra ing the whole occasionally till the mass appears! ready for use. A small quantity of this stuff will ofte be required to place at the roots of plants. The practice of professional gardeners as respec The body of the garden within the walks is laid out composts, may be learned from the following brief in larger or smaller plots, according to taste. These in the "Encyclopaedia of Gardening:"" Composts plots are generally oblong, and are subdivided into particular plants may be reduced to light sandy lo sections, rows, or beds for the different kinds of kitchen from old pastures; strong loam, approaching nearly vegetables. In the corner of one plot are the cucum-brick earth, from the same source; peat earth, from the to diminution of the produce, both in quantity and quality, and by various diseases which attack the plants, however abundant may be the food supplied to them, or careful the tillage. surface of heaths or commons; bog earth, from bogs or morasses; vegetable earth, from decayed leaves, stalks, cow-dung, &c.; sand, either sea-sand, drift-sand, or powdered stone, so as to be free as possible from iron; lime rubbish; and lastly, common garden earth. There The principle on which the gardens are cultivated, are no known plants that will not grow or thrive in one is that of forcing vegetation by means of an abundant or other of these earths, alone, or mixed with some supply of dung, constant tillage, and occasional waterother earth, or with rotten dung, or leaves. Nursery-ing. The whole surface is converted into a species of men, whose practice may be considered a safe criterion hotbed; and crop succeeds crop with a rapidity which to judge from, have seldom more than three sorts of is truly astonishing. Those vegetables which arrive earth: loam, approaching to the qualities of brick earth; at a marketable state in the least time are always the peat or bog earth, from heaths or morasses; and the most profitable, and those also for which there is a concommon soil of their nursery. With these, and the stant demand at all times of the year. With an abunaddition of a little sand for striking plants, some sifted dant supply of manure, the market-gardeners have no lime-rubbish for succulents, and some well-rotted cow- fear of exhausting the soil; and dissimilar vegetables dung for bulbs and some sort of trees, they contrive may grow together on the same ground. to grow thousands of different species in as great perfection (taking the difference between plants in pots and plants in the free soil and air) as in their native countries; and many, as the pine, vine, camellia, rose, &c., in a superior manner." The same author afterwards observes: "Peat earth, or heath earth, being generally procured in the state of turfs full of the roots and tops f heath, requires two or three years to rot; but after it has lain one year, it may be sifted, and what passes through a small sieve will be found fit for use. Some nurserymen use both these loams and peats as soon as procured, and find them answer perfectly for most plants; but for delicate flowers, and especially bulbs, and all florists' flowers, and for all composts into the composition of which manures enter, not less than one year ought to be allowed for decomposition, and what is technically called sweetening. The French gardeners allow for their rich orange-tree composts from three to six years." The value of the produce in one year from an acre of garden-ground in the most favourable situation, as stated by Mr Middleton, from the account which he received from a market-gardener, is almost incredible. It is as follows :-Radishes, £10; cauliflower, £60; cabbages, £30; celery (first crop), £.50; (second crop), £40; endive, £30: making a total of £220 for the gross produce of an acre in twelve months. The expenses of cultivation are very great. In inferior situations, the produce is much less, but the expenses are also somewhat less. When it is considered that there are nearly 2000 acres thus cultivated, the gross amount of produce must be very great." The domestic gardener will now perceive, that, independently of a good soil, he must give his ground plenty of rich manure, and by so doing he need scarcely ever have any part of his surface unoccupied. To attain and keep up fertility is the grand principle of his operations; the delving may be awkward, the lines of beds uneven, the raking may not be neat, but all is of no importance in comparison with keeping the ground in good heart. He will likewise maintain a regular connective rotation, leaving no cropping to caprice at the time, or to a system of unintelligent routine. GARDEN OPERATIONS-CULTIVATION. Digging or delving with the spade is the principal means of garden culture. The spade usually employed is 10 inches deep in the blade or spit; but as delving is not direct downwards, but sloped, the depth to which the spade goes in digging is seldom more than nine inches, and often not more than eight inches. In commencing to dig a piece of ground, take out a spadeful all along one side, and carry it to the opposite side where you are to leave off. Now begin at one end of the trench just opened; thrust the spade with the foot into the ground, taking about five inches in breadth, lift it up, and turn it over into the open trench, the top undermost, and the fresh earth above. Do the same with the second spadeful, and so on with all the others to the end of the line. Take care to dig always a uniform depth and uniform breadth, so as to keep the line even, and the trench or open furrow one width. If there be any weeds or loose offal on the surface, put them in the trench and cover them in. Break or pulverise the mould as you proceed, and keep the fresh surface level. When you have delved row after row to the last, the earth laid aside will fill in the concluding trench. Ordinary digging is performed best in dry weather; but digging to throw up lumps for winter melioration should, if possible, be performed when the soil is moist. In this kind of digging, do not touch the lumps with the spade after throwing them up. Near large towns, where there is a constant demand for kitchen vegetables, market gardens are established for producing the required articles in variety and abundance. The finest market gardens in the world are near London, where the soil is deep, and any quantity manure, in the form of night soil, from the metropolis, is easily obtainable. The plan on which these gardens are conducted might serve as a model for all kitchen gardeners in this country. It is thus briefly described in the article Gardening in the "Penny Cyclopaedia ""The gardeners' year properly begins in autumn, when the land is dug, or rather trenched, and well manured. Various vegetables, which will be required in winter, are now sown, and especially those which are to produce plants to be set out in spring; spinach, onions, radishes, and winter salads are sown, and, when the weather is severe, are protected by a slight covering of straw or mats. In February, the cauliflowers, which have been raised in frames or under hand-glasses, are planted out. The cabbage plants are pricked out. The radishes, onions, and salads, go to market as soon as they are of sufficient size, and sugar-loaf cabbages succeed them. As the cauliflowers are taken off, they are succeeded by endive and celery, and the same is the case with the cabbages. Thus there is a constant succession of vegetables, without one moment's respite to the ground, which, in consequence of continual stirring and manuring, maintains its productive power. Deep trenching in some degree prevents that peculiar deterioration of the soil which would be the consequence of the frequent repetition of similar plants. This effect is most perceptible when the plants perfect their seed, which is seldom or never allowed to take place in market-gardens; but great attention is paid to the species of plants which succeed each other on the same spot. The principle which experience and theory unite in establishing, is that of avoiding the too frequent recurrence of plants which belong to the same natural families. The greater variety enitivated in gardens, in comparison with the common acted upon. Those gardeners who overlook this, and produce on a farm, enables this principle to be fully Sow or plant the same kind of vegetables in the same spots, are soon aware of their error by the repeatedly Raking is usually performed after delving. Hold the handle of the rake at an angle of 45 degrees, and draw it lightly over the surface of the newly dug ground. The object is not to draw earth along, but to even or comb down the irregular surface, and bring away any loose refuse or stones. Like digging, it should be performed in dry weather. Marking with the Line. When there is any difficulty in delving in a straight line by the eye, mark off the ground with a cord, drawn from a reel stuck in the earth at one end to a dibble or pin at the other. This reel cord will be indispensable in marking off the edges of parterres, plots, &c. In such cases, having fixed the line, go along it with the spade, taking out a very small quantity of earth immediately beneath the cord. Then do the same with the opposite side and ends of the plot, and so its dimensions will be fairly marked. The gardener measures and marks off all his figures in the ground with his line and spade. With the line he can draw a circle round a central pin, or make an oval from a union of two circles, or form semicircles, spirals, triangular spaces, or polygons. When he wishes to make a small path between rectangular plots, he sets his line accordingly, and walking along it, with a foot on each side, he tramples down the earth from one end to the other, and then he can even it and beat it down with his spade. Hoeing. With a common hoe, the earth is cut and drawn towards the operator. The object of hoeing is to draw the earth up the stalks of plants growing in a row, or to destroy weeds. In hoeing weeds, cut off the weed beneath the surface, and do not cover the stalk. If convenient, rake away all the loose stalks, and place them on the dung-heap. Weeds, such as dandelion and groundsill, which become winged when ripe, should be hoed and removed before seeding. As many such weeds which infest gardens are blown into them from adjacent roadsides, it would not be misspent time to clear the neighbourhood of them periodically. sons in the ground. Some seeds, such as peas, are sown in drills, the hand deliberately dropping them in a straight shallow trench. Other seeds, such as seeds of onions, leeks, cress, &c., are sown broadcast, which is a thin and equable scattering over a bed prepared for the purpose. Most seeds, peas included, require to be pressed down by treading or gentle rolling, and then covered up by the hoe or rake. All seeds should be sown and covered up in dry weather. Animal annoyances.-All gardens are less or more exposed to the destructive inroads of wild animals. Hares and rabbits gnaw the bark off the stems or lower branches of trees, and also the buds in season. To prevent the encroachments of these quadrupeds, the garden ought to be properly fenced; but if they get in notwithstanding, the trees may be saved by smearing the lower parts with a mixture of cow-dung, soot, and water, reduced to the consistency of thin paint; a smearing of tar or grease will also answer the purpose. Moles, rats, and nice, may be caught in their appropriate traps; moles, also, may be got rid of by placing slices of leek, garlic, or onion, in a green state, within their holes, as they have a great antipathy to the odour of these vegetables. Planting. Many vegetables require to be removed while young from the bed in which they were grown from seeds, and planted out in rows. A straight row is made with the line, which is gently treaded on each side. Commence now at one end of the trodden line, and in the central or untrod part pierce the earth with the dibble. Into the hole so made insert the root of the plant, and pierce the earth at its side, so as to press the mould round the root, leaving no vacant space below. Watering. In dry seasons, artificial irrigation is of great use for giving due liquid aliment to plants, and is indispensable to plants newly transplanted, in order to consolidate the roots. Watering, for whatever purpose, is most advantageously performed in the morning or evening. If done during the time the sun is shining, take care not to water the leaves of any plant, for the heat will raise the temperature of the liquid, and the leaves will be scalded. If the day be cloudy and cool, watering the tops of plants can do no harm. The watering, in any case, should resemble as nearly as possible a soft shower, and be performed with a rose watering-pot. The greater number of flowers are injured by watering, if the water touches them. GARDEN VEGETABLES. The vegetables usually grown in kitchen gardens are of various tribes or classes, which, for convenience, we shall arrange in certain intelligible groups, as fol lows:-1. The brassica, or cabbage kind of vegetables; 2. The pea and bean kind; 3. The root kinds, or those grown only for the sake of their roots; 4. The onion and leek kinds; 5. The salad kind; 6. The various kinds of sweet herbs; and, 7. miscellaneous kinds, including several of a delicate nature. This arrangement of groups, it will be understood, has no reference to botanical order, and has only been adopted in prefe rence to the confusion of kinds in alphabetic lists. The Brassica, or Cabbage Tribe. This includes some of the most hardy, easiest culti vated, and useful of kitchen vegetables. The following are those which we would recommend to be cultivated: broccoli, Brussels sprouts, common cabbage, red cab bage, cauliflower, savoy cabbage, and Scotch kale. Birds are sometimes an annoyance, particularly when new-sown peas or seeds may be easily scratched up. But though in some instances injurious, it is believed that, on the whole, their visits are beneficial; for they pick up large quantities of slugs, insects, larvæ, or caterpillars of different kinds. Wall-fruit may be preserved by nets, or by the more simple method of fixing horizontal lines of black worsted in front of the trees; the repeated ineffectual attempts to alight on the lines is said to scare the animals and cause them to desist. Lines of worsted threads, in which feathers are fastened, are employed in many cases to protect beds of seeds from birds; this preventive can be easily tried. Insects are the grand pest of gardeners; their appearance is so mysterious, and their devastations so varied, that all schemes to extirpate them are often ineffectual. They are most destructive in their first condition of larvae or caterpillars. In this state they should be removed by the hand from kitchen vegetables. To destroy the smaller kinds of larvae, fumi- One ounce of seed of broccoli is calculated to sow gation of tobacco smoke, by means of a fumigating a bed four feet wide by ten long, broadcast on a pre bellows, is employed with advantage; and the plants pared bed, but if sown in drills, rather less seed will are cleansed with a syringe and water. For the cleans-be sufficient. Each kind should have a place allotted ing of fruit-trees from insects, we refer to our article to itself. The soil should be a fresh sandy loam, not on Fruit Gardening. manured, and the season for sowing will be comprised Slugs are another chief annoyance, especially in low-lying situations. A little salt destroys them, but, as in the case of caterpillars, the best plan is to clear them out at their first appearance by the hand or a pair of pincers. Worms in the ground are not considered injurious; in a properly trenched garden, however, they exist only in small numbers. Salt kills BROCCOLI. This is one of the best kinds of greens, and is valuable from coming at a season when not liable to be affected by caterpillars. There are various kinds of broccoli, but all may be arranged under two heads those for spring use, and those for use from September to Christmas; the latter are termed "Cape or autumn broccolies. The best varieties for spring use are Bowles's new sulphur, Moody's dwarf, Granger's cauliflower, and Portsmouth cream-colour. are set out in beds made rather rich with manure, at any time when they have leaves six or eight inches long two feet distances, plant from plant, will be su cient. Each plant is to be firmly secured in the sou and if the weather be dry, every hole should be filid with water. This species will come in season in August autumn; in mild seasons, some heads may be cut evea and continue to produce a supply throughout the at the turn of the year. |