Iii' W A T E R .
W w ' c <
' !l
clayey ground. If the soil be light and warm, rotten nea t’s dung is th e best dressing that you can give it.
If horse-dung be ever used, it must be completely rotten, otherwise it will burn up the crop the first hot
weather.” ( T r . o n F r . T r e e s , p, 290.)
2774. Different soils are required in the same garden. This is Nicol’s opinion, who has had more experience
in the formation of gardens than any of the authors from whom we are quoting : his remarks “ on
soils, and how to improve them,” merit every attention, and will be duly valued by those who have
seen any of the excellent kitchen-gardens he has formed in Fifeshire, Perthshire, and other northern
counties. It is a happy circumstance, he says, “ th at in many instances we meet with different soils in
the same acre.” In the same garden they should never be wanting ; and where nature (or natura l causes)
has been deficient, recourse must be had to a r t; inasmuch as the variety of fruits and vegetables to bo
cultivated requires different soils to produce them in perfection. It would be absurd, however, to
imagine, that for every particular vegetable th ere is to be a particular soil prepared.
2775. The varieties o f soil in any garden may, with propriety, be confined to the following
: — Strong clayey loam, light sandy loam (wliich are the two grand objects), a
composition of one foiu'th strong with three fourths light loam, half strong and half hght,
aud one fourth light and three fourths strong. These, by a proper treatment, and with
the proper application of manures, may be rendered productive of any of the known
and commonly cultivated vegetables in the highest degree of perfection.
2776. In order to improve a soil, we must be guided much by its natui'e, so as, if possible,
to render it serviceable for general purposes. And hence our duty is to endeavoiu*
to hit on that happy medium which suits the generality of esculents, in the fomation or
improvement of the soil in the kitchcn-garden. Such a soil should be sufficiently
tenacious to adhere to the roots of plants, though not so much so as to be binding, which
would certainly retai-d their progress and extension in quest of food. Hence a loam of
a middle texture, rather inclining to sand, may be considered as the most suitable soil
for the purpose here in view, and that on a double account ; viz. the greater part of the
valuable Idnds of kitchen vegetables delight in such soil, and it is worked at less expense
than a stiff one ; and in severe droughts it is neither apt to crack or be parched, nor in
hard frosts to throw out tender plants or seeds.
2777. I f soils be too strong, the tender roots of plants push weakly in them, sicken,
canker, and perish ; and if a soil be too light, and poor withal, plants deposited in
it will push tlieir roots far in quest of that stability and nutriment wliich is essentially
necessary to their support. So that, if our aim be the production of wholesome and
well-matured vegetables, wc must attend sedulously to the formation of a proper soil,
and not trust entirely to the force of dungs, as by too free an application they have a
bad effect on the qusdity of esculents.
2778. Where the bottom is wet, from the subsoil being clay, it may be improved
by judicious draining ; where the soil is stubborn, by the addition of small gravel, sea-
sand wherein is a considerable quantity of small pebbles and shells, coal-ashes, lime,
gravel, pounded brickbats, brick-kiln ashes, &c. ; but, above all, by being carefully laid
up in ridges in the -winter months, and indeed a t all times when not in crop, in such a
manner as to givo the greatest extent of surface for the weather to act upon. Where the
soil is a poor sand, or gravel, it may be improved by the addition of clay, or strong
clayey loam, scoui'ings of ditches which run through a clayey subsoil, pond-mud in a
like situation, or scrapings of roads which lie in a clayey district, &c.
2779. Soils that abound with metallic substances, and which generally make them
appear of an iron colour, are termed fox-bent or till. These substances are often found
to be intimately mixed, or rather consolidated with the soil, in considerable masses,
which arc adhesive and veiy ponderous. Such soils are the most unfavourable to vegetation
of any, and are quite ineligible for the purpose here in view, without hcing much
improved. For this purpose, lime will be found most serviceable, if judiciously applied,
and the soil be frequently turned over by digging or trenching, so that the soil and the
lime may be intimately mixed together, and that the atmosphere may have full effect
upon them ; for without this, the lime -will not operate so effectually, nor will the clayey
particles of the soil be divided or meliorated so well. I t may seem unnecessaiy to
observe, that, according to the quantity of irony matter contained in the soil, lime will
be required to reduce it. In order to ascertain this quantity, a magnet will be found
useful ; and, one of the masses being calcined, and then reduced to a powder, the magnet
wiU separate the irony particles from tho soil, showing the proportion of iron and of
earth. Thus we may fertilise the soü, taking for the extremes, in ordinary cases, and
supposing the lime of a middling quality, 150 and 400 Winchester bushels an acre ;
applying the lime in a quick or powdered state, and properly working tlic soil, being
careful, in the first place, to drain it of superabundant moisture.
2780. Ridging up o f soil, as above hinted at, has the happiest effect, especially for stiff
soils, and should never be omitted when the ^ o u n d is not under crop. In dead sandy
loams, also, and in cankering gi-avels, it is of incalculable advantage, and greatly
meliorates them : it is a fact proved by experience, that exposing soii to the sun’s rays
in part, by throwing it into a heap, whereby it is also paitly shaded, and trenching it
once a month, or in two months, wiU sooner restore it to fertility than any other process,
exclusively of adding fresh matter. Thus if any ingredient noxious to vegetation
'■] J)
abound in the soil, it may be expelled, or bo exhaled by the action of the atmosphere,
more particularly if the soil undergo a summer and also a winter fallow. In the latter case,
however, carc sliould be taken to have the surface encmsted by frost, as often as possible,
by turning it, and giving it a new surface each succeeding thaw. (Gard. Kalend., p. 19.)
2781. The soil intended fo r a garden may he known by its productions. “ In selecting
ground for a garden,” Neill observes, “ the plants growmg natm-ally on the surface
should be noted, as from these a pretty coiTCCt opinion may be formed of the qualities of
the soil. The subsoil should also be examined. I f this be radically bad, such as an iron
till mixed with gravel, no draining, trenching, or manuring wUl ever prove an effectual
remedy ; if, on the contrary, the subsoil be tolerably good, the surface may be greatly
meliorated by these means. In eveiy garden two varieties of soil are wanted, a strong
and a light one, or, in other words, a clayey loam and a sandy loam ; different plants
requiring these respective kinds. F o r the general soil, a loam of middling quality,
but partaking rather of the sandy than the clayey, is accounted the best.” (Ed. Encyc.,
art. Hort.) . » i
2782. General practice. I t appears to be generally agreed on by practical men, that
there ought to be between 2^ ft. and 4 ft. of good soil over tho whole surface of the
kitchcn-gardcn. This depth will rarely be found to exist naturaUy j or, if it does in
some places, it will be dcftcicnt in others. The proper heights for tho borders and compartments
being fixed on, and the wholc thoroughly drained, the next thing is to trench
the soil to the proper depth from the level or levels of the intended surface, whether these
run under or over tho present surface, removing all unfavoui'ablo subsoil, either to such
hoUows within tho ring-fence o fth e garden as require to be fiUcd up to a greater depth
than that flxed on for the good soil; or, what is preferable, placing it without the
e-arden. This done, the next thing is to introduce as much good soil as wiU raise the
surface to the thickness rcquh'ed. The strongness or lightness of this additional soil
must depend on the natnre of that already there, and on tho object m view. In com-
iilete gai'dens, it may be desirable to have throe qualities of soU, viz. a strong loam, a
liqlU ham, and a loam o f medium quality; the latter oconpying the borders and about
half of tho compartments. The soils introduced, therefore, must be such as, with what
is naturally there, will effect these objects. If, for example, the local soil is every where
lio-ht or sandy, then one part, say that destined for strong loam, should receive as much of
clayey loam as wUl bring it to the temperament desired;
that for a medium loam a less portion, with
as much Ught earth as will bring it to the required
depth ; and if the natural soU is deemed too light, to
that also must be added a portion of what is more
cohesive, &c. I t may be obsei-ved, however, that the
general object, in selecting, forming, or impro-ving the
soil for a kitehen-garden, is to obtain, as Nicol expresses
it, “ a loam of a middle texture rather mclining
to sand,” such soil being easy to work, little affected
hy either droughts, rains, or frosts; and the greater
part of the valuable kinds of kitchen vegetables delighting
in it. All the authors we have quoted above
may be said to agree in desiring such a soil for the
whole of the kitchin-gaxden. In peculiar situations,
as where villas are built on rocky steeps and other
romantic situations, it may become a matter of great
difflcnlty and expense to bring soil from a distance ;
and it may also bo found equally difficult to find a
bed for it, by tho removal of rock, &c. In such cases,
all that can be done is to select the most favourable
spots (fig. 735. a a ) ; cultivate them to the utmost; , , , ,
connect them by walks and shmbbery; and place the economical buildings attached to
the gai'den ( b \ and hothouses, &c. (e), in the most commodious situations, and where
they will not interfere with general effects. There arc many productive gardens of tlus
description in the north of Scotland, and in tho territory of Genoa.
S e c t. VI. Water.
2783 A CO,nous supply o f water is essential to a good kitchen-garden, and, from
whatever som'ce it is furnished, it should be distributed either in resemoirs or open cisterns,
or in pipes, properly protected, over the garden, and in hothouses. I f the supply is
from a pond or river, a system of lead or cast-ii'oii pipes may ho adopted, and the
delivery off-octcd hy cocks at proper distances ; but if from wells or sqn'ings, the
should be into open stone or cast-iron cisterns ; or, in default of these, into tubs oi
»■'ta
J