lar-ways along the middle, two or three inches asunder: and thus, the pots, &c. being placed as above, the beans will soon sprout and come up.

When the beans have sprouted, sprinkle the earth with a little water, which will help the plants to rise: when they are up, water them frequently.

Let the plants be supplied with proper waterings two or three times a week, and they will grow freely, and produce plentiful crops of beans in March and April.

Plant a successional crop in a fortnight or three weeks after, in small pots, ready for turning out with balls of earth into the larger pots, &c.

Of Cucumbers in the Hot-house.

Cucumbers are sometimes raised early, in tolerable good perfec, tion, in the hot-house.

This is effected by sowing the seed, or planting young plants, in large pots, or oblong narrow boxes, which are to be placed in a convenient situation in the hot-house, near the glasses; the boxes for this purpose may be the same length and depth as for kidney-beans: fill the pots or boxes with rich earth, and place them up near the top glasses, behind, or upon the top of the back or end flues, with the bottoms raised or detached two or three inches, that the heat of the flues may transpire freely, without injury to the plants.

But the best situation in the hot-house for cucumber plants, is to place them, by means of supports, within about fifteen or eighteen inches of the top glasses, nearly under or towards the upper ends of the superior tier of lights, not to shade, &c. the other plants below. The seed may either be sown in small pots, and placed in a dung hot-bed, or in the bark-bed in the hot-house to raise the plants, or may be sown at once in the pots or boxes, six or eight seeds in a small patch; or in a box of two or three feet long you may sow two such patches: and when the plants are up, they should be thinned out, leaving two or three of the strongest plants in each place.

Or, if you raise the plants first in small pots plunged in the barkbed or in a dung hot-bed, let them be afterwards transplanted, with a ball of earth about their roots, into the boxes or larger pots.

When the runners of the plants have advanced to the outside of the pots or boxes, you may fix up some laths to support the vines or runners, which should be fastened thereto. Let them have water frequently, for they will require a little every other day at least.

Early Strawberries in the Hot-house,

Strawberries may be brought to early perfection in the hot-house; and, if desired, this is the time to begin to introduce therein some pots of good-bearing plants.

The scarlet and alpine strawberries are the kinds that succeed best for forcing; for this purpose they should be taken up and planted in proper sized pots, either in the months of September or

October, as then directed, and protected in garden-frames, till wanted for forcing; but, if the weather permits, you may take them up at any time, with balls of earth about their roots, planting one good plant in each pot; always observing, to choose those of two or three years old, and which are full of bearers.

Place these pots towards the front of the hot-house, near the glasses, and let them have water frequently, especially when they are in blossom, and setting young fruit; but observing at these times not to water too freely over the flowers, for fear of washing off the impregnating farina, giving it chiefly to the earth in the pots

Of Flowering Plants in the Hot-house.

You may now introduce into this department, many kinds of Aowering plants, to be forced into bloom at an early season; such as honeysuckles, African-heaths, double-flowering dwarf almonds, and cherries, &c. also pots of pinks, carnations, daisies, double sweet-williams, rockets, wall and stock-gilly-flowers, &c. and pots or glasses of any kind of bulbous roots, planted either in earth or water, may also be introduced, with a variety of curious annual flowers, which may be sown in pots, and forwarded there to early perfection.

FEBRUARY.

DESIGNS FOR A KITCHEN GARDEN.

THE Kitchen-garden is a principal district of garden-ground allotted for the culture of all kinds of esculent herbs and roots for culinary purposes, &c.

This may be said to be the most useful and consequential department of gardening; since its products plentifully supply our tables with the necessary support of life for it is allowed that health depends much on the use of a proper quantity of wholesome vegetables; so that it is of the utmost importance for every person possessed of a due extent of ground, to have a good Kitchen-garden for the supply of his family. This garden is not only useful for raising all sorts of esculent plants and herbage, but also all the choicer sorts of tree and shrub-fruits, &c. both on espaliers and standards; and the annual cultivation of the ground, by the manuring, digging, hoeing, &c. necessary in the culture of the esculent herbage, greatly encourages all sorts of fruit-trees, preserves them in health and vigour, so as always to produce large and fair fruit; for which reason, in the Kitchen-garden should always be planted the choicest sort of fruit-trees, particularly for espaliers and walls; likewise some standards, if set a considerable way asunder, so as not to shade the under-crops too much; and when the trees are judiciously disposed, there will be nearly the same room for the crops of herbaceous esculents as without them; so that this garden may be reckoned both as a Kitchen and fruit-garden.

As to the situation of this garden, with respect to the other districts, if designed principally as a Kitchen and fruit-garden, distinct from the other parts, and that there is room for choice of situation, it should generally be placed detached entirely from the pleasure-ground; also as much out of view of the front of the habitation as possible, at some reasonable distance, either behind it, or towards either side thereof, so as its walls or other fences may not obstruct any desirable prospect either of the pleasure-garden, fields, or the adjacent country; having regard, however, to place it, if possible, where the situation and soil is eligible, as hereafter illustrated; and if its situation is unavoidably such as to interfere with the pleasure-gardens, so as its fences may be thought disagreeable to view, they may be shut out from sight by intervening plantations of shrubs and trees.

But as in many places they are limited to a moderate compass of ground, and in others, though having scope enough, require but a small extent of garden, you may, in either case, have the Kitchen, fruit, and pleasure-garden all in one; having the principal walks spacious, and the borders next them of considerable breadth; the

back part of them planted with a range of espalier fruit-trees, surrounding the quarters; the front with flowers and small shrubs; and the inner quarters for the growth of the kitchen vegetables, &c.

Situation, Soil, Water, Extent, &c.

As to situation, it can only be observed in general, that both high and low, if the soil be suitable, will produce good crops of esculent herbage and fruits; though a moderately low situation is the most preferable, as being less exposed to the influence of cold cutting winds in spring, and more retentive of moisture during the summer months; which are advantages worthy of attention, both on account of the early and of the other principal crops. A situation having a moderate slope is very eligible for this purpose, as in such a spot there will not be any danger of water standing, nor of being too wet at any season; and if it slopes toward the south, it is the more desirable, as it will not only be better defended from the cold north-westerly winds, but by its exposure or aspect inclining to the sun, you may always expect to have the earliest crops; or when the situation is in some parts a little elevated, or gently sloping, and in others low and moist, it may be some advantage, as the higher or sloping ground will suit some early crops, and serve for wintering several sorts of plants that are impatient of copious moisture in that season, such as artichokes, spinage, corn sallad lettuce, &c. and the low ground will be eligible for late summer crops, as beets, kidney-beans, cauliflowers, cabbages, lettuce, and several others. However, as to choice of situation and soil, this only is practicable in large estates; but where persons are limited to a moderate space, they must be content with such as nature affords; observing in this case, that if the natural soil is of a proper temperament and depth, you need not be under any great anxiety about the situation, if it is moderately dry, and not apt to be overflowed in winter; even in that case, it may be remedied, or greatly helped, by digging two or three long narrow canals, and from these some under-ground hollow drains, the earth from which will help to raise the contiguous ground higher, and the water in the canals will be convenient for watering the plants. Remarking that a situation too wet in winter should be guarded against as much as the nature of the place will admit; for in such land you can never have early nor good general crops, nor will the fruit-trees be pros

perous.

With respect to soil, that for a Kitchen-garden, of all others, requires to be naturally good, of depth enough for the growth of the large perpendicular esculent roots, as carrots, parsneps, red beet, horse-radish, &c. also for the growth of fruit-trees, a very material article; so that the proper soil for these general purposes should, if possible, be from about a foot and a half, to two feet deep, or more; but much less than a foot and a half depth will be a disadvantage: so much depends upon the quality of the soil for a Kitchen and fruit-garden, that where there is scope of ground to ehuse from, we cannot be too cautious at first in fixing on a proper

spot, where the soil is good, and deep enough, as above, before gravel, clay, or other bad soils are come at ; which should always be more particularly attended to when designed to furnish the ground with a choice collection of fruit-trees, either for walls, espaliers, or standards; for, without a due depth of good earth, these will neither bear well, nor be of long duration.

Different sorts of soils are met with in different parts, as loamy, clayey, sandy, &c. A loamy soil, either of a brown or black colour, is the best that can be for this purpose, more particularly a light sandy hazel loam, which always works pliable at all seasons, not apt to be too wet and cloggy at every shower of rain, nor bind in dry hot weather; this soil, however, although in many places it is the most general superficial earth, is not common to all parts. A clayey, strong, stubborn soil, is the worst of all earths, and must be mended by sandy materials, ashes, and other loosening light substances. A sandy soil is common in many places, which is of a very light sharp nature; this must be fertilized by plenty of rotten dung, and strong earths, where they can be easily procured.

It is observable that ground, which constantly produces good crops of grain and grass, is also proper for the growth of all esculent herbs and fruit-trees.

Chuse, however, the best soil you can, according to the situation and extent of your ground; and if it happens to prove unfavoura ble, art must assist; for if it is of a light sandy nature, it may easily be mended by adding a quantity of any kind of rotten or other good dung; and if of a very light, sharp, hungry temperament, earths of stronger substance, such as loam, and the like, if it can be easily obtained, must be added occasionally along with plenty of dung, working the whole with the natural soil of the garden; and should your garden be of a clayey, cold, damp nature, add light materials, both of rich composts, and light sandy soils; nothing is more proper, where it can be had, than plenty of coal ashes, &c. for opening and warming all tough, stubborn, cold soils.

Water is a very essential article in a Kitchen-garden in summer, to water all new transplanted plants, and others that cannot subsist without a due supply of moisture during the drought of that season; therefore, in large gardens, where practicable, one or more reservoirs of water should be contrived in the most convenient part of the ground, either in basons or narrow canals, and supplied with water from some contiguous spring, river, brook, pond, well, &c.

The necessary space of ground proper for a family Kitchengarden, may be from about a quarter of an acre, or less, to six or eight acres, or more, according to the appropriated limits of ground, the number and demand of the family, the consumption by sales, or the expense the proprietor would choose to bestow on the making and general culture. A Kitchen-garden of an acre will nearly employ one man, especially if it be furnished with espalier and other fruit trees, and so in proportion to a garden of smaller or larger extent: a garden of the above size will produce a very plentiful supply of esculent herbage and fruit, sufficient at least for a family of ten or fifteen persons; but on large estates, and where