Litchfield enquirer., 1829-04-09
AGRICULTURAL.
KITCHEN GARDENING.

] As every farmer is interested in the best method of cultivating a common kitchen garden, I have collected as much informa- tlon on that subject as my means could furnish. l found that many farmers are iu the habit of purchasing seeds from the people denominated Shakers; and ima- glned that an account of the Shakers method of cuItivating the most useful plants ot the kitchen garden, would be very ac- ceptable. In the annexed directions, have embraced course of operations which received from Richard Treat, the oldest gardener at tue Shaker village in New Lebanon, Columbia county, N. Y. ] Lettuce.-It should be sowed as early as it can be raked into tue gronnd, for it can- not be injured by early frosts. Dr. Ham, mond sows bed of early lettuce late in the preceding fall. It ought to be sowed in rows sixteen inches apart between va- cant rows intended for some other plant. For as lettuce will soon be pulled out, uth- CT rows o1 later vegetables may occupy the whole bed
 RGdishes.---Should be sowed in drills, eight inches apart, the last week in March. The beds should be made of horse mannre fresh from the stable, we'll mulched with good garden mould. Often loosen the soil about them while growing and keep the weeds out.
 Onions.- They should be suwed about the 18th of April, in drills sixteen inches apart, made very shallow, not exceeding half an inch in depth, and raked ID lightly lengthwise of the drills. The beds having been we'll worked with thoroughly routed manure, at least five inches deep, they will be up very uniformly in about fourteen days.
 Hoe them as soon as they are just up, sufficiently to be hoed carefully without in- jury. Let them be hoed six or seven times during the season. T he tops will fall about the 10th of August, but they will continue to grow until abou, the first week in September. They must not be pulled until the tops become dry; being bienni Il, onions never produce seed until the second year.
 Onions should always be sowed on the same beds; for experience has demonstra- ed, that the crops become better after be- ing raised in the same beds for many years in succession. -.s Farsnips.---They should be sowed a. bout the 18th of April; but Dr. U. Greg ory prefers the last week in March ; and selects dry sandy or lnan,y bed, which will admito earliest culture. He says parsnips become poisonous in damp ground. They should be sowed in drills, 20 inches apart, and three-fourths of an inch deep, and raked in lengthwise of the drills.---- The bed should be previously well worked and manurcd and afterwards frequently hoed, which is all the care required.
 Beets 0nd Carrots ---They should be sowed about the 18th of April, in drills three-fourths ofan inch deep, and 20 inch es apart---if carrots are in drills sixteen inches apart and half an inch deep, it is a. bou, as well. The ground prepared and the seed raked in as for onions. @ Garden Peas.---They should be plant ed about the 18th of April, in drills by pairs, six inches apart, so that one row of bushes may serve for the pair of drills. There should then be four feet space, from centre to centre, between tho pairs of drills. The drills should be half an inch deep, | dSH tRe Seeu Tdhcu lH lChS'n"ISC oi tHC drills
 They should be hood once then pushed, and hoed once after being pushed. From this time merely pull out the weeds.
 Garden Beans. .---Should be planted a- bout the middle of May ,half an inch deep, throws. The rows of bush beans should be three feet apart, with the hills in row two and half feet from each other. The rows for pole beans should be four feet a. part, and the hills in a row three feet from each other. .,-..
 They should be hood three times before the Towering time but must never be ho- ed when wet with dew or rain. A
 MelOns, Cucumbers and Squashes.--- They should be planted about the middle of May cucumbers for pickling may be planted the middle ofJune. The hills may be three or four feet apart. The ground should be well prepared as for onions. And they must be hood three times before time for vines to run. Afterwards pull out the weeds.
 In this part of the country situation should be selected for cucumbers, which will be shady from eleven o'clock in the forenoon, until three o'clock in the after noon and where they are exposed 10 tue sun the rest of the day.