The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1877-03-22
VOLUME AZ.
The Kitchen Garden,

The first thing to be done is the selec-
ton of n good spot OF land, one that is
sheltered from cold winds and fayorably
exposed to the suns rays all day. Having
fixed on the location, the next thing to be
considered is how it shall be planned. 1t
is not easy to do this on paper, as every
| plot of ground thus selected, has, SO to
speak, lis own peculiarities, such as would
render any definite or fixed plan, suited TO
other conditions or surroundings, unfit for
this particular spot
| A flat surface is ordinarily, deemed pre-
terable, unless a slope be desired for the
purpose of Fastening or retarding such
plants as are priced AT particular seasons
of the year A slope to the east of about
fifteen degrees, southeast or south is pre-
terable to slope to the north. unless the
desire be to retard growth; then choose
the latter ii available, as is generally the
case in New England, the Switzerland of
America. The sun is the force for bring
ing vegetable life into perfection. Ii Your
gardens have no natural shelter on the
| north. then an artificial one should be
provided by Il high wall OF board fence,
until belt OF suitable trees can be grown
for this purpose. A wall on the north and
northwest side furnishes a favorable ex-
posure for growing earl V fruits and vege-
tables. such as radlshes, lettuce, asparagus,
etc. Such an exposure would also favor
the growth of early strawberries. Very
high plots are not desirable. as they are
exposed TO winds and drought and very
low ones to dampness blight, mildew and
frost
The size OF the garden must depend upon
the time one has to devote to it, and how
much it is desired to grow Half an acre,
more or less, to an acre, makes a good
sized vegetable and early fruit garden A
small family, numbered with much other
labor, would put up with much less even
than quarter OF an acre. 1t often hap
pens that one must accept very small
garden patch, either for the lack of room
or else for the want OF taste for vegetable
gardening \ small kitchen garden, well
managed, will furnish all the more COM
mon vegetables family needs, ay, if rcyg
well managed, even more - lunches OF
early radlshes. spinach, asparagus, onions,
rhubarb lettuce, peas, tomatoes. etc, for
the market. A border near a wall or fence
that shelters the gentle slope from cold |
winds, is most favorable tor the produc- |
tion Of early vegetables, such being pre- |
ierable 20 4 level spot
Hot beds are used hy some cnterpris- |
ing farmers for The acceIeration Of plant |
growth. They are chiefly made Of stable
dung tanners bark, oak leaves and other
artificial subjects to putrescent termenta- |
ton may he used either alone or with |
stable-dung. Hot beds consist OF glass
frames tor the protection Of the plants, |
set at an angie ot fifteen or twenty de |
grees. Farmers that use them do it for |
starting early plants OF tomatoes, cab |
bages, cucuilberS, etc, ior trluspantng |
early for home use.
We thus early call attention to the sub
iect of kitchen gardens. because we think |
1t IS a matter quite too much neglected |
by the rural population OF New England |
and elsewhere. The table luXurics that
may thus be produced by good ve@eta-
bIe garden, within the reach OF every
farmer, and OF mechanics even who own :,
small patch of ground. are quite too rare,
How many farmer over the Northern
States cultivate the straw berry lor their
own tables! ! One in ten, does any one with
opportunity tor observation suppose Not
one in hundred according to our obser-
Nalion. This ought not so to be- Every
farmer may and should GROW this dplicions
trpit - l,ir n,u" t"hla