The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1856-02-08
LOUIS 0. COWAN, Editor and Proprietor
GARDEN SOILS.

A good garden may be made, by skilful
management, upon almost any soil. But
the results will differ somewhat according
to the nature Of the soil where the soil Is
moist, heavy loan, resting upon clayey
subsOil, crops cannot be obtained as early as
upon different soil. But by tillage adapt
ed to the nature OF the soil, large heavy
crops may bo obtained for fall and winter
use. Upon such soils only one crop can
generally be obtained in season. Such
soils should be well drained, and cultivated
in beds or ridges, 80 that the surface water
may be conducted Of, and not permitted to
injure land already sufficiently moist
Horse manure is the best dressing for such
soils, when cultivated as u garden, and
should be literally supplied, and well plow-
ed in. Such land is apt to bake and be-
come hard; consequently it -Oquircs to be
frequently stirred during the growth Of the
plants. Such soil is well adapted to the
growth of pears and quinccs.
When il is an object to obtain early crops,
as in the cultivation Of market gardens, a
light sandy loan is preferable. When such
a soil is made rich by high cultivation, the
crops are earlier, more sure, and the soil Is
more easily worked. Many Of the most
productive gardens in the nsighbOrhood Of
Boston are made upon light sandy plains
that were previously exhausted by cultiva-
ton without manure, and that have been
redeemed by judiciOus management. The
plow is put in Us deep as il can be made to
run, and the whole of this depth is made
Eat by liberal supplies of warm, stimulating
manures. Ii Is an important object with
market gardeners to set early crops, and
they are able to get them in sueha soil, two,
three, and four weeks earlier than in a heavy
loan. This gives them longer season, and
by skilful management of successive crops,
they get two or three crops in one Season.-
Apple trees succeed well in such soils. When
the ground is enriched by high manuring
and the cultivation Of hoed crops, the trees
grow rapidly, and come into barring some
years sooner than in the colder and heavier
soil. They start earlier in the spring, and,
of.eourse, have longer season to grow, and
the wood which they make becomes better
maturcd and prepared to endure the cold Of
the ensuing winter.
In such soils, fall sowing is often prnctised
to advantage. Onions, beets, and lettuce
are sowed in September, and covered with
salt hay, rock weed, or meadow hay; the
mulching is removed early in March, and
the ground between the rows stirred, and
onions and bcets are thus obtained for the
market in June, or early in July. Vegeta-
bles, at this season command nearly double
the price that they DO later in the season.
Three crops are often obtained irom the
'ame ground. Aportion ofground is plow-
Vi rs soon us the frost is out, and heavy
dressing Of horse manure is plowcd in Ear
ly peas are planted in rows perhaps FIVE feet
apart then ndishes are sowed broadcast,
and raked in. The ndishes are pulled be-
fore the peas are picked. Between the rows
Of peas are planted, at proper times, squash.
Is, melons, or cucumbers ; by the time the
vines begin to run the ndishcs and peas are
removed from the ground, and the whole
surface is left in possession of the vines
Early potatoes are taken or in July and the