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Willis, and about 3 f acres in the slips. Where a farm is cultivated by the proprietor, it
is found a desirable practice to have pai-t of the more common kitchen-crops, as cabbages,
turnips, peas, potatoes, can*ots, &c., groivn in the fields; the flavour of vegetables so
grown being greatly superior to that of those raised in a garden by force of manure.
Where a farm is not kept iu hand, by annually changing the surface of the garden by
trenching, this effect of enriched grounds is considerably lessened.
2763. To assist in determining the extent of a garden, Marshall observes that an acre
with wall trees, hotbeds, pots, &c., ivill furnish employment for one man who, at some
busy times, will need assistance. The size of the garden should, however, be proportioned
to the house, and to the number of inhabitants it does or may contain. This is
naturally dic tated; but yet it is better to have too much ground allotted than too little,
and there is nothing monstrous in a lai-ge garden annexed to a small house. Some
families use few, others many, vegetables; and it makes a ^-eat difference whether the
owner is curious to have a long season of the same production, or is content to have a
supply only at the more common times. But to give some rules for the quantity of
ground to be laid out, a fiunily of four persons (exclusive of servants) should have a rood
of good-working, open ground, and so in proportion. I f possible, let the garden be
rather extensive, according to the family; for then a good portion of it may be allotted
for that agreeable fi.-uit the strawbeny in all its varieties; and the very disagreeable
circumstance of being at any time short of vegetables will be avoided. I t should be
considered also that ai'tichokes, asparagus, aud a long succession of peas and beans,
require a good deal of ground. Hotbeds will also take up much room, if any tiling considerable
be done in the way of raising cucumbers, melons, &c. (Introd. to Gard. p. 25.)
S e c t . IV . Shelter and Shade.
2764. To combine adequate shelter, with a free exposure to the rising and setting sun,
is essentially necessary, and may be reckoned one of the most difficult points in the
formation of a garden.
2765. The kitchen-garden should hesheltered by plantations; but should by no means he
shaded or be crowded by them. I f walled round, it should be open andfyee on all sides,
or at least to the south-east and west, that the walls may he clothed witli fruit-trees on
both sides. (Nicol, Kal, p. 6.)
2766. To shelter an elevated garden on a steep declivity (fig. 734.), it may require to be
surrounded on all sides by high woods (n), and even to have groups of evergreens, as
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pines and hollies (e), and hedges of treUis or lattice-work (p p ), within the garden. The
hothouses (d) and hotbeds ( f ) may be placed, and more delicate culinary crops (h) cultivated,
in an artificial basin or hollow, which wiU have the advantage of being sheltered
both naturally and artificially, and, being on a steep exposed to the south, will have
a poweriM influence in accumulating heat in ivinter from the sun’s rays. The south
borders of such gardens (/, m), and the walls heated by fm-naces (q), will frequently be
found to produce earlier crops than gardens placed on level sm-faces and in low sheltered
situations.
2767. The garden should he sheltered from the east, north, and west winds, by hills, rising
grounds, high buildings, or plantations of trees, at such a distance on the east andwest sides
as not to prevent the sun from shining upon it. (MEhail, Gard. Hem., 2d edit. p. 12.)
Skelter may in p a rt be derived fr om the natural shape and situation o f the ground. Gentle
declivities, Neill observes, at the bases of the south or southwest sides of hills, or the sloffing bankl
ot winding rivers, with _a similar exposure, are very desirable. If plantations exist in the neighbfurhood
of the house, or of th e site intended for the house, th e planner of a garden naturally looks to them for his
prmcipal shelter; taking care, however, to keep a t a reasonable distance from them, so as to guard
against the evil of being shaded. If the plantations be young, and contain beech, elm, oak, and other
of course made for th e future progress of the trees in height. It is a rule
th a t there should be no tall trees on the south side of a garden, to a very considerable distance • for
during winter and early spring, they flmg their lengthened shadows into the garden, a t a time when
IS va uable. On the east, also, they must be sufficiently removed to admit th e early
toss tha^ m i b a"?., n ™ ; particularly on north, trees may approacli nearer, perhaps within
Tf i 1 crowded, as from these directions the most violent ancl the coldest winds
iiv 4 1 previously exist on the territory, screen-plantations must be reared as
rapidly as possible. The sycamore (^i'cer Pseddo-Platanus) is of the quickest growth, making about
L Ih n i f " * a e gains about 4 ft. ; and then follow the
spruce and balm of Gilead firs, which grow between 3 ft. and 4 ft. in the year. (Edin.Encyc. a rt. Hoj-t.)
_ 2769. A garden should be well sheltered from the north and east, to prevent the blighting
winds from affecting the trees; and also from the westerly winds, which are very
hurtful to the gardens in the spring or summer months. I f a garden he not naturally
sheltered with gently rising hiUs, which are the best shelter of any, plantations of forest
trees, made at proper distances, so as not to sliade it, will he found the best substitute
(Forsyth, Tr. on Fruit Trees, p. 286.)
2770. Shade as well as shelter is attended to by Abercrombie, who observes, “ that
competent fences are serviceable in sheltering tender seedlings, and in foi-min" ■warm
bordere for early crops and winter-standing p la n ts ; while in another direction soTne part
of the line of fence will afford a shady border in summer, which is required by the peculiar
constitutions of many small annual plants. Where a kitchen-gai-den encloses two, three
or four acres, it will admit cross walls at proper distances, by wliich the advantao-es iust
mentioned may be multiplied.” (Prac. Gard., 2d edit. p. 3.) ®
S e c t . V. Soil.
2771. The soil o f a garden is obviously of the ^-eatest consequence in its culture. It
is, however, a subordinate consideration to situation and exposure, for the soil may be
changed or improved by a r t ; but no human efforts can remove the site, or change the
exposure of a plot of ground. This subject was much more attended to about a century
ago, in the days of London aud Wise, Switzer and Hitt, than it seems to be at
p resen t; gardeners, in general, depending too much on manures, and other adventitious
aids, for securing large, though sometimes ill-flavoured, culinary crops. Jethi-o Tull has
some coai-se, but to a certain extent just, remai-ks on this subject. As an auxiliai-y argument
ill support of his delusive doctrine of rejecting manui-c in ciiltiu-e, he affects to
“ wonder that gentlemen who are so delicate in other matters should make no scruple to
eat vegetables and ifuits grown among the vilest filth and ordure.” (Treatise on the
Horse-hoeing Husbandry, 3d edit. p. 30.)
‘2772. The best soil fo r a garden, M‘Phail observes, “ is a sandy loam, not less than 2 ft. deep, and
good ea rth, neither ot a binding nature in summer, nor retentive of rain in w in te r; but of such a texture
th a t It can be worked, without difficulty, in any season of the year. It should be remembered that there
are lew sorts of fruit trees, or esculent vegetables, which require less depth of ea rth to grow in than
2 ft. to bring them to perfection; and if the earth of th e kitchen-garden be 3 ft. or more deep so
much th e better ; for when the plants are in a state of maturity, if the roots, even of peas spinach
kidneybeans, lettuce, &c., be minutely traced, they will be found to penetrate into the earth, in search of
food, to th e depth of 2 tt., provided th e soil be of a nature th a t allows them. If it can be done a
garden should be made on land th e bottom of which is not of a springy wet nature. If this rule can be
observed, draining will be unnecessary; for when land is well prepared for the growth of fruit trees and
esculent vegetables, by trenchmg, manuring, and digging, it is by these means brought into such a porous
temperament, th a t the rains pass through it without being detained longer than necessary. If the land
of a garden be of too strong a nature, it should be well mixed with sand, or scrapings of roads where
stones have been ground to pieces by carriages.” (G ard. Rem., p. 12.)
2773. The soil o f a n ew garden should be 2 ft. or 3 f t . deep, according to Forsyth, “ b u t if deeper the
better, of a mellow pliable nature, and of a moderately dry q u a lity ; and if th e ground should have an
uneven surface, by no means attempt to level it, for by th a t unevenness, and any little difference there
may be in the quality, you will have a greater varietv of soil adapted to different crops. The best soil
for a garden is a rich mellow lo am ; and the worst, a stiff heavy clay. A light sand is also a very unfit
soil for a garden. Sea-coal ashes, or the cleanings of streets and ditches, will be found very proper to
mix with a strong soil; and if the ground should be cold, a large quantity of coal-ashes, sea-sand, or rotten
vegetables should be laid upon it, in order to meliorate and loosen the soil, and render it easy to work.
Lime-rubbish, or hght sandy earth from fields or commons, will also be found of great service to stiff
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