The Wilmingtonian, and Delaware advertiser., 1826-04-06
From the Burlington County Gazette.
KITCHEN GARDENING.

AS every farmer is interested in the bes
method of cultivating common kitchen
garden, I have collected as much ipforma-
ton on that subject as my means could fur
nish. / found that many farmers are in the
habit of purchasing seeds from the people
denominated Shakers; and ! imagined that
an account of the Shakers method OF culti-
waiting the most useful plants OF the Kitchen
garden, would be very acceptable. In the
annexed directions, ! have embraced
course of operations which l received from
Richard Treat, the oldest gardener at the
Shaker village in New-Lebanon, Colombla
county, N. Y. The hospitality and friendly
attentions of this people, and their readiness
to communicate whatever they believed
might be useful to the industrious cultiva-
tors of the earth could but excite gratitude
and admiration. Leaving out of view what
we are disposed to call errors, in their reli-
eious creed, we may confidently say, that
every thing visible among them exhibits the
fruits of the genuine Christian benevolence,
amiable manners, and highly cultivated ua'-
derstandings.
Lettuce.-It should be sowed as early as
it can be raked into the ground, for 1t can
not be injured by early frosts. DR.. Ham
| mond sows bed for early lettuce late in
the preceding fall. It ought to be sowed in
rows sixteen inches apart between vacant
rows intended for some other plant. For as
the lettuce will soon be pulled out, other
rows of later vegetables may occupy the
whole bed.
Radishes,-Should be sowed in drills,
| eight inches apart, the last week in March.
| The beds should be made of horse manure,
| fresh from the stables, we'll mulched with
good garden mould. Often loosen the soil
about them while growing and keep the
weeds ont.
Onions.-They should be sowed on the
| 28th of April, in drills sixteen inches apart,
made very shallow, not exceeding halt an
| inch in depth, and raked in lightly length
wise of the drills. The beds having been
we'll worked with thoroughly rotted manure,
at least five inches deep, they will be up We
nv uniformly in about fourteen days.
| Hoe them as soon as they are just up, sutfi
ciently to be hoed carefully without injury.
Let them be hoed six or seven times during
the season. The tops will fall about the
10th of August, but they will continue to
grow until the first week in September.
'They must not be pulled until the tops be-
csme dry; being biennial, onions never pro-
duce seed until the second year.
Onions should always be sowed on the
Same beds: for experience has demonstrated
that the crops become better. after having
been raised on the same bedsfor many years
in succession.
parsnihs.-They should be sowed aboht
the 2sth of April; but DIR. U. Gregory pre-
fers the last week in March; and selects a
dry sandy or loamy bed, which will admi,
of the earliest culture, He sayssparsnips
become poisonous in damp ground They
should be sowed ip drills, 20 inches part
and three-fourths of an inch deep, and rak'
ed in lengthwise of the drills. The beds
should be previously we'll worked and ma
!. nured; and afterwards frequently hoed
which is all the care required.
le Reets, Carrots.-They should be sowet
about the 28th of April, in drills three
fourths of an inch deep, and twenty inche
: apart-if carrots are in drills but sixteel
inches apart and half an inch deep it is abou
= as we'll. The ground prepared aud the see
lraked in as for onions.