The quantity of ground which a kitchen-garden should contain must be regulated according to the number of individuals which it is required to supply. An acre is calculated to afford a tolerable supply for sixteen individuals, hut much depends on the nature of the vegetables required. Potatoes, turnips, peas, and carrots are frequently obtained of better quality and at Ice's expense from a field than from a garden. With respect to potatoes in particular, only early varieties are now generally cultivated in gardens. If the mansion be only fully occupied for a part of the season, the quantity of ground will require to be nearly as much as if the supply were required throughout the year. Thus for example, a considerable breadth may he found necessary for peas in spring, and the same may be occupied with broccoli in autumn; so that the ground which would be sufficient for a few months' demand may be made equally so for the whole seam») by a proper succession of crops. Fur similar reasons it will be found that where a steady supply is required, proportionably less ground will be requisite than when the demand alternately exceeds and falls short of the mean. • A moderate establishment will require two acres of kitchen-garden, and a large one five or six ; and m either case it may be found necessary to have recourse to field culture for those productions to which that mode of rearing is more especially adapted.
The form of a kitchen-garden should be composed of straight lines. If rectangular, it will prove a awing of labour; for it in practically known that more time in required to trench a piece of ground of a triangular form, than if the same extent were in the shape of a square or parallelogram ; and besides, labourers who may not happen to be accustomed to the method of working ouch figures as have inclined sides are liable to make the surface irregular. A range of forcing houses Is generally placed on the north side; and as the wall on that aide Is the most valuable for fruit-trees on account of its direct south aspect, It becomes desirable that it should be extended as much as postale on each or both ends of the range. The form of the kitchen garden 6 consequently determined to be that of a 'parallelogram with the two long sides naming due east and west. The melon-ground, containing alert pint for culinary forcing, should form an adjoining compartment well sheltered and excluded from the view on account of the quantities of litter and other fermenting substances which it must necessarily contain.
Jt 6 found that grapes ripen better against a very high wall them they do when trained on a low one. The conclusion to be drawn from this fact must he, that a greater accumulation of heat will take place in front of a well 12 feet high than where the height is less, and con. sequently the tree'', whilst they have space for a greater extension, enjoy an Increased degree of warmth. Therefore it will be desirable that the walls of a kitchen-garden should not be less than the hcight above mentioned, with the exception of the one on the south, winch may be only 10 feet, because it will occasion leas shade; and if time wall on the opposite or north side be mule 14 feet high instead of 12 feet, greater utility and a better affect will rcrult. Once erected, walls an too valuable to be left unoccupied, and a border should accordingly be formed outside, as well as inside, for the reception of fruit-trees to be trained against them. This requires the enclosure of a slip, con taining the wall-border, a walk, and a border between the latter and the outside fence. If this outside or ring-fence were formed of materials on whichyoung trees could be trained, so as to fill any accidental vacancy that may occur on the principal walls, great advantages would accrue, for then the walls would always appear filled with trees in a bearing state. Such nursery trees should be
carefully moved every second year, so that they may always be in a proper condition for their final destination.
The interior departments of the kitehen-garden are usually bounded by fruit-trees planted within two or three feet of the walks. Not only are bushes, such as gooseberries, currants, and raspberries, used for this purpose, but fruit-trees of various kinds. The latter are trained either as dwarfs by grafting apples on paradise stocks, and pears on quinces, and causing their branches to proceed from near the ground ; or as espaliers. The latter were formerly more in use for training fruit-trees in kitchen-gardens than they are at the present time. Some object to their appearance, others to their expense compared with their utility. Their appearance is certainly not unsightly if they are not made too high ; and although the old varieties of fruit-trees trained upon this plan were unprofitable, yet many of the new kinds will produce abundantly. They occupy very little space, and their shade, if not made higher than six feet, can be scarcely injurious, especially as it can be made to fall chiefly on the walk.
Very few of the subjects of kitchen-garden cultivation are indige nous; they are chiefly varieties of luxuriant habits, which are artificially maintained and augmented by the art of the cultivator. The' principal means employed for rendering the soil of the kitchen garden subservient to this purpose are,—the application of abundance of manure; trenching, digging, and otherwise stirring the soil ; and a due rotation of crops. Manure supplied in abundance will generally produce luxuriance in vegetables, although sometimes a disagreeable rankness is communicated to the flavour. This is in a great measure corrected by trenching, which becomes occasionally highly necessary ; and although expensive, it will always repay the cost, if judiciously performed, particularly if the soil be of a consolidating nature. Trenching exposes fresh soil, and gives rest to that which has been partially exhausted on the surface ; it renders the soil pervious to water and air, and likewise for the roots of the plants ; in wet weather the latter are free from stagnant moisture ; and in drought they seldom stiffer, because they have been able to penetrate the eoil so far as to he beyond the reach of dryness. Moreover, if a thermometer is plunged in well loosened soil, after a few days of hot sun in March, it will be found to indicate a temperature many degrees above that in more compact earth, or where the soil has not been stirred for several years. The advantage of this' communication of heat is obvious, especially when it is borne in mind that a number of kitchen-garden plants are natives of countries possessing a warmer soil and climate than those of Britain.
It is always advantageous to attend to a proper rotation of crops, especially where manure is not abundantly applied, nor trenching performed. One kind of plant should not immediately follow another of the same nature, or one closely allied. The selection of the plants or vegetables grown must depend wholly on the tastes and requisitions of the owners, but we may add that many of the commoner vegetables are moat profitably raised by field cultivation.
(Lindley, Theory and Practice of Horticulture, 1855 ; Louden, Eneyclopadia of Gardening, 1850.)