!'V
2917. greatly resembles in its qualities pigeons’ (lung, but it is mueli stronger,
and should never he applied alone, but always mixed ivith either earth or ivatcr. “ Tho
dung of birds,” says Johnston, “ possesses the united virtues of both the liquid and the
solid excretions of other animals. I t contains every part of the food of the bird, with the
exception of ivhat is absolutely necessaiy for the suiiport and for the right discharge of
the functions of its own body. It is tbus fitted, therefore, to return to the plant a greater
number of those substances on ivhich plants live, tlian cither the solid or the fluid excrements
of other animals ; in other words, to be more nourishing to vegetable growth.” (Johnston's
Elements o f Chemistry,-p.\65.) Guano does not want any preparation by turning over
before it is used, as it is never found in a recent state. “ I t is,” Johnston observes, “ the
tiling of sea-fowl, wliieh in former times was deposited in vast quantities on the rocky
shores and islands of the Peruvian coast. The numerous shipping of modern times has
disturbed and driven aivay many of the sea-fowl, so that, comparatively, little of their
recent droppings is now collected. Ancient heaps, however, exist in many places, more
or less covered up ivith drifted sand, and more or less decomposed.” (Jbid.) The usual
manner of applying guano to the crops of a kitchen-garden is, by first mixing it with
six or seven times its own weight of sandy loam, and then digging it into tho gi'ound
before tho crops arc sown ; when used for top dressing, it shoníil be watered as soon as
apiflicd, unless the weather should be wet. When used diluted with water, tlie best
proportion is said to be an ounce of guano to a gallon of water for Idtclicn. crops, and
half an ounce to a gallon for floivers.
2918. Vegetable kxanuresacX in three ways: they open the pores of the land ancl lighten
it by loosening its particles ; they supply organic food to the roots of the growing plants ;
and they yield saline and earthly matters to the soil. Green crops ploughed into the
soil are most efficacious for the first purpose ; charcoal and other similar manures for the
second ; and decayed leaves for the third. The latter indeed abound so much in inorganic
matters that 1000 lbs. of fermented leaves will yield 82 lbs. of inorganic matter,
wliile the same weight of sawdust will yield only 4^ lbs. “ I t is owing to this large
quantity of saline and other inorganic matter that fermented .leaves form too strong a
dressing for flower borders, and that gardeners, therefore, generally mix them up into a
compost.” (See Johnstons Chemistry, p. 137.)
2919. Mineral manures ai*e seldom applied simply to garden crops ; though they are
frequently used in fonning composts. Lime is the most important of all the mineral
maniu'es, but it is seldom used in the caustic state (that is, as quick lime) in gai’dens,
unless it is in cases where the land has become soured by neglect and want of drainage.
Marl, chalk, and shell sand produce the same effect as lime, but in a more moderate
degree. Saltpetre and nitrate of soda appear to be principally efficacious in producing
green crops ; but the latter mixed with Glauber’s salts (sulphate of soda) is said to produce
remarkable crops of potatoes. (See Johnston's Chemistry, p. 175.)
2920. Marl is a good manure fo r ahnost any soil; and it may be applied as a simple
with as much propriety as any of the kinds of cattle-dung, or even of vegetable earth.
The kind called shell-marl is much to be prefen’ed, and shoiüd be freely applied to strong
lands, but more sparingly to light -, the loamy kind being best adapted to light lands.
2921. Manures o f all liinds lose their efficacy unless accompanied by sufficient drainage.
When drenched with water, manures, both animal and vegetable, either decompose very
slowly, or produce “ acid compounds, more or less injurious to the plant.” Want of
drainage also chills the land, and prevents the entrance of the air into the soil. “ Eveiy
one,” observes Johnston, “ is familiar with the fact that when ivater is applied to the
bottom of a flower-pot full of soil, it will gradually find its way to the sm-face.” Thus
it is in the open ground. “ I f water abound at the depth of a few feet, that water will
rise to the surface; and as the sun’s heat dries it off by evaporation, more ivatcr will
follow to supply its place. This attraction from beneath will always go on when the
air is diy and warm, and thus a double evil will ensue— the soil will be kept moist and
cold, and, instead of a constant cir<:ulation of aii’ downwards, there will be a constant
current of air upwards.” (Ibid. p. 125.)
S e c t . IU . Cropping.
2922. A change o f crops is founded on the generally acknowledged fact, that each
sort of plant draws a somewhat different nourishment ; so that after a full crop of one
thing, one of another kind may often be immediately sown. “ Nothing tends more to
relieve the soil,” Abercrombie observes, “ than a judicious succession of crops ; for plants
of different constitutions not only strike to different depths, and in different directions,
with their roots, but the tei-minal fibres or feeders of the roots appeai- to take up separate
and peculiar constituents of the soil, and to be indebted for support to some property imparted
by the earth in very different degrees. The dm-ation of the vegetable, its short
or protracted existence, is a great cause of diversity of effect as to the ' quantity of aliment
drawn from the soil. Another mark of distinctness in constitution is the character of
the root, as it may be fibrous and tender, or fibrous and woody,— or bulbous, ortubcrous,
—extended or compact; another, the form and magnitude ofthe herb, and the proportion
of fibrous or ligneous substance in the stem and brandies. A fourth index of a separate
nature is the succnlcncy or hai-dncss of the leaves, and the quantity of pulpy or larina-
ceous matter in the parts of fructification,— as the leaves may he tiie edible part, before
the plant is ma tn rcd ; or the seed-vessels, as in pulse, may hold the produce for the
ta b le ; or the esculent part may consist of fruit enclosing seeds. To apply this practically :
we will suppose a strawbeny-plantation requires to be renewed ; and the stools seldom
continue fully productive more than three or four years. Instead of introducing young
straivben-y-plants into the same bed, entirely eradicate the old plantation, and let it be succeeded
by a crop of beans, or of some other esculent as different as may be in constitution
and habit. In tlie same manner, let the new plantation of strawben-ies follow some light
crop which left the ground in a good state, or which allowed it to be trenched and fallowed
for an interval, whether it were an annual or a biennial. I t is a rale, from which
only extraordinary circumstances can wan-ant a departure, never to plant a new set of
perennial stools on the ground whence a plantation of the same or a similar species,
having worn itself out, has just before been removed. Ou tlie contrary, crops which
strike deep, and occupy the ground long, should be succeeded by plants which pierce
but a little way under the surface, are drawing in the least degree, and soon come off
from the short term of thcir vegetable life.”
2923. A studied rotation is advisable, in all cases, according to Nico l; so that no crop
of the same class may immediately follow another. To facilitate this measure, the
kitchcn-ground should be divided into a number of portions, and a jonraal or note-book
should be kept, with a reference to the numbers. In this journal, whatever relates to
tlicir cropping, manuring, trenching, or fallowing should be recorded, for reference and
guidance as to future cropping. Nicol, while practising as head gardener at Raith,
Werayss Castle, and other places, kept a regular journal of this s o rt; he published it
iu his Kitchen-Gardener in 1802, and he tells us, in 1816, that it had been approved and
adopted by many practical gardeners.
2924. B y planting out currants, gooseberries, and rasvherries in compartments, instead of
growing them in single lines, particularly if these be properly managed, an opportunity
of changing crops might further be afforded; as these should not stand longer than
seven or eight years together, before the plantations arc renewed.
2925. Sti'awberry-plantations, under proper management, should be renewed cvei-y
four or five y e a rs ; and thus likewise an opportunity of changing crops may be afforded.
The same object may be attained by the renewal of artichoke and asparagus plantations,
ivhich should be done every seven or eight years. In managing all the above-named
articles on a large scale, new plantations should be made every year, to a certain extent,
which would throw a certain proportion of ground reg-ularly into the rotation.
2926. Esculents might he cultivated in classes, and tlms a sort of rotation, tliough not
very complete, might be produced; and the brassica tribe, the leguminous family, the
tuberous and carrot-rooted kinds, the bulbous or onion kinds, and the lighter crops, as
salads and herbs, might succeed each other.
2927. Close crops, as onions, lecks, caiTOts, &c., are conveniently and neatly cultivated
ill rows on beds of from 4 ft. to 5 ft. widths, with alleys of 1 ft. to 18 in. between tliem.
2928. Besting garden-ground. Market-gardeners, Nicol observes, who are generally good managers, and
must of necessity make the most of their ground, in order to maintain their families, and be able to pay
high rents, have found out the utility of resting th eir land, and of following a regular rotation in cropping
it, a t least in the culture of the principal articles, and as far as the n atu re of th e thing will
admit. The best managers sow out a portion of their ground every season in grass, clover, or barley,
which is used ....... ^ as ______________ green food for their _____ horses ______________ and cows. Verygenerail;Very generaily th e barl’ ey i• s n along ■ with ........
the
clover, merely to nurse and shade it, being cut down and not allowed to ripen. The clover lover is sometimes
sometimes
dug up after th e first season, if land for market-crops be scarce, b u t more generally it is allowed to lie
a second year. By good managers, the ground is never sown down in a hungry state. Land that has
been under esculent crops for many years together, and is, perhaps, glutted w ith manure, may becleansed,
as it is termed, by a scouring crop of oats, wheat, or rye, which, if thouglit necessary, may be repeated.
If trenched to its full depth afterwards, it will again be fit for the production of culinary crops iu great
perfection.
2929. The seasons proper fo r furnishing the ground with every particular vegetable should
be well attended to, that each may be obtained as early as its natnre will jiermit; and of
the seeds and plants we use, care must be taken to procnrc the best of the kind, lest, after
all the trouble of cultivation, disappointment as to vegetation or quality should ensue.
The principal time for sowing and planting the articles raised in the kitchcn-gardcn is
in the spring months. I t is necessary to lodge some sorts in the ground as early as
J a n u a ry ; but Februai-y, March, and A])ril ai-e the months in wliich the principal supplies
for summer crops ai-c provided. From April till September, and even October,
many sorts are sown and planted, in smaller portions, for successive crops, rarticu la r
hardy esculents arc also sown or transplanted principally in autumn, for a supply as well
in winter as in spring and early in summer. Other kinds arc inserted occasionally as
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