Page:The family kitchen gardener - containing plain and accurate descriptions of all the different species and varieties of culinary vegetables (IA familykitchengar56buis).pdf/26

 them covered during the time of planting, and not allowing the roots to get dry. Stretch a line lengthwise along the bed, nine inches from the edge, and with a spade cut a small furrow, six inches deep. Having the plants ready, set a row along the trench, nine inches apart, with the crown of the roots two inches below the surface, drawing a little earth upon them to fix them as placed. Having finished a row, cover them directly with the earth that has been thrown out of the furrow, raking it regularly and to an equal depth over the crown of the plants. Proceed to open another furrow a foot from the first; plant and finish it as above, when you will have four rows to each bed. After all is planted, rake the beds lengthwise, drawing off all stones and rubbish; dress the surface neatly and evenly. Let the edges be lined out in exact order, allowing two fect to each alley. As these alleys will be of little service the first season, and no waste ground should ever be seen in a garden, dig them up and plant a row of cabbage in each. Nothing further will be required during the Summer than to destroy all weeds. The following Winter cover them to the depth of three or four inches with rotten manure, to keep the crowns from sun and frost; if, in the Spring, the earth is found to have settled in any part, the deficiency must be made up with more mould. It is a common practice to sow Radishes upon the beds, but it is an injurious one, as it robs the ground of a great portion of its nutriment, so essential to their luxuriant growth. The plants are permitted the two first years to run up to stalks, that strong crowns may be formed at their base for the future crop.

After the third year, the beds will require the following mode of treatment. From the middle of October to the end of November give them their winter dressing, which consists in cutting down the stalks close to the ground and clearing the beds from weeds; drawing them off at the same time with a rake into the alleys, to be buried or taken to the compost heap to be mixed up with other litter and again returned to the soil. Cover the whole of the bed with two or three inches of ma-