HINTS TO LABOURERS.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume II, Issue 63, 20 May 1843, Page 252

HINTS TO LABOURERS.

A few weeks since, we had put into our Irands two pamphlets, published by the Agricultural Society of England, for the benefit of the labouring population ; one treating on cottage gardening, and the other on cottage economy and cookery. We have given both a careful perusal, and so valuable are the entire contents that we should be glad to reprint the whole of them ; but, as our limited space will not admit of so dclo?, we are compelled to confine ourselves to extracts. We shall commence with the one on gardening, and, to prevent confusion in the names of months, will substitute those which would have been named had the work been published in this country. The introduction states the object of the pamphlet very plainly — " It is universally admitted that a piece of garden-ground attached to a labourer's cottage is the greatest boon that can be afforded him, more especially if he has a young family to support. This object has always been recommended by the societies instituted for demising means for bettering the condition of the labouring poor of this kingdom ; and on the recommendation of these societies the present allotment system was founded. " The produce of even a very limited spot of garden-ground, if well managed, not only adds greatly to the domestic comfort of a working man, but is actually a means of improving his moral character, by giving him emplyyment in his hours of leisure, and in an amusing and profitable occupation, and on a spot which he can truly and with pride call his own. " But the occupation of a piece of ground is not sufficient unless accompanied with plain directions for the guidance of the labourer in his management thereof; for although a majority of our rural population are pretty good gardeners in their own homely way, many there are who need advice, and almost all are ignorant of the most economical methods of culture. It is therefore necessary, especially at this time, when the allotment system appears to be extending, and when there is such a general feeling in favour of the labouring classes, that a brief and plain tract be published, to afford to cottagers general instruction on the subject." Then follows instructions for draining and trenching, both of which processes are absolutely necessary in many instances. These, however, we pass over to extract what is said on the important subjects of manuring and cropping. " Whatever the nature and character of the staple may be, it is certain all and every description may be improved. Manuring as frequently as possible assists and betters every kind of land. Clay is improved by any lighter kind of earth or decayed litter, or sand, ashes, and the like ; because these break the tenacity or toughness of the clay, and render it easier to cultivate, and allow the roots of plants greater scope, besides admitting a freer passage to both air and rain-water. " A light sandy soil is improved by the heaviest manure, or by dressings of clay or loam, because manure laid upon sand sinks into the ground, and, being quickly absorbed, of course requires more frequent application. " Loam of any kind or colour is the best for gardening purposes ; it only requires to be well laboured by occasional trenching, dug at least once in the season, and hoed frequently to keep the surface loose. But as it is, like other kinds of soil, liable to be exhausted by cropping, it must be kept in heart by occasional dressings of manure. " Obtaining sufficient supplies of manure is one of the greatest difficulties which the cottager has to encounter, especially if he keep neither cow nor pig ; and, unless he lives by the side of a free common, it is not in his power, nor is it worth his while, to trouble himself with either, except under circumstances hereafter alluded to. But an industrious man may collect as many matters of one kind or other as may be sufficient to dress one-third, or at-least one-fourth of his ground once a year. For this special purpose he should have a hollow pit or place between his house and garden, into which every kind of drainage from the former and refuse from the latter should be thrown. * * * As the success of a cottager's garden depends solely on his ability to keep his ground in heart, every exertion must be made to secure this advantage. " Another means of keeping ground in good heart is by following a judicious rotation of cropping. It is bad management to grow the same kind of crops repeatedly on the same spot, and therefore the crops must be made to change places every year. " The proportion of crops to the whole garden and to each other is a material affair for the consideration of the cottager. That crop which remains longest in use, and which,, consequently, is most serviceable in a family, will of course command the greatest share of the ground. In all cases the potato will have, undoubtedly, th& preference, not only because they are a good substitute for bread, but because a safely-secured winter store of them is of the greatest i mportance to the labourer. Supposing, then, that the principal part of the ground is occupied with potatoes, the remainder will receivfl those that are the next valuable as eatables, namely, cabbage and their varieties, carrots, parsnips, onions, turnips, common beans, and, above most of the latter, the useful ro%hrunuer kidney bean, so extremely useful in a cottager's family." " Mixed crops ara allowable in cottage gardening — for instance, a sprinkling of radish

and cosa lettuce seeds may be sown with the onions, and when the radish and lettuce are drawn, being ready for use, the onions suffer no injury. - Broad beans are sometimes planted at the same time and in the same drill with potatoes, and without any very visible damage to the latter crop. " But, in order to keep the ground in full employment, all the crops, that is, the standing crops, must be sowed or planted in drills or rows, with the intention that, before the first crop is off, another shall be put in the intermediate spaces to follow in succession. This is quite practicable with all the cabbage tribe, or with any other kind of vegetable which may be used in any stage of their growth. Of this description are the cabbage, savoy, onion, lettuce, &c. ; and when such are planted alternately with others, which must stand to acquire full perfection, the first may be used out of the way as soon as they press injuriously upon the second. " In this way many more useful vegetables may be raised on a given portion of land than by the old-fashioned custom of sowing broadcast, only one patch of each of the common sorts occupying the ground for the whole summer. Even the onion ground may be planted with cabbages just before the former are fit to pull, which plants, whether savoys or common cabbage, become fine useful stuff before the middle of June." We pass over much that is useful to come to what is of the first importance to a New Zealand labourer, the cultivation of the potato : — " Much of this domestic comfort during winter will depend on his having from ten to fifteen bushels of good sound potatoes pitted near or well covered up in some safe cornsr within his house. " This is a fine store for a labourer to look forward to, saying nothing of his stores of parsnips, carrots, and onions, all most useful additions ; but he may rest assured that, unless they are used with economy, twice the quantities would be of little use to him. We have been much among labourers who had gardens ; but, with all the authority of a master, and with all the best advice of a friend, we never could prevail with many of them to make the best use of the advantages they possessed. To begin on the potatoes as soon as they were of the size of walnuts, thus devouring bushels at a meal, was a common piece of extravagance ! Selling the whole crop for one-fourth of the value, to save the trouble of taking up and storing, was a frequent occurrence ; and great waste in the cooking was in many cases too visible. But, on the other hand, some, who husbanded their resources, lived comfortably, and showed 'the manifold advantages they and their families derived from possessing a small piece of garden. " The ground reserved for potatoes will hold ten rows at two feet apart, and will require about a bushel and a-half cut into sets to plant the same, placing the sets about eight inches asunder in the drill, covering full eight inches deep. The sets should be as large as the size of the potatoes will allow, each having at least one eye, rejecting or not counting that at the bottom, as no shoot springs from it. The best way of cutting the sets is first to split the potato down the middle ; each half may be divided into two or three sets, according to the number of good eyes, taking as much of the substance of the potato with each eye as possible. Some curious growers make sets of the crowns, which they keep and plant by themselves, for the purpose of being first used, as the tubers from these sets always come earlier than those of the other sets; but this is a refinement in the culture with which a cottager need not trouble himself. " There are a great many varieties of the potato ; some are very early ready for.use, such is the frame j others finely-flavoured and handsome in shape, as the lady's Jinger Mdney. These, however, from their scanty yield, Are unfit for the provident cottager. The best for his purpose, as uniting quality with quantity, are the champion and the early Shows these are best for immediate use as soon as their tops decay ; but, for long-keeping and storing, the Devonshire apple and Yorkshire reds should certainly be preferred. Two-thirds of the whole piece should be planted with reds, and the other third with the Shaws and champions ; and as soon as the tops of these last decay, they should all be taken up, and the ground immediately replanted with cabbage, savoys, or any other winter greens. " When the tops'have risen five or six inches high, they should be earthed up. for good, for once earthing up is enough; but the vacant spaces between the rows should always be kept well broken up and loose, by a heavy hoe, fork, or mattock, taking care not to go too near the roots to disturb the runners. When the flowers appear, let them be picked off, for this adds as well to the size as to the number of the tubers. " In choosing the kind or kinds forplanting, procure, if possible, those which lave been named above, and which have been grown on a different kind of sou and in some distant place, for no kind of potato succeeds long together in the same garden or district. " .Much has been said and written as to whether potatoes should be planted whole or cut into sets ; but it is now settled that a bushel cut into sets yields a much greater return than if they were planted whole. The yield, however, depends greatly on the quantity of manure bestowed : if dressed as thickly as a farmer dungs for wheat or turnips, it may be dug in before planting; bat, if manure is scarce, the next best plan is strewing it along the bottom of open trenches, on which the seta are placed, and covered with loose earth." We shall continue our extracts in our next.