Plan I describes itself, and it will be seen to be divided into three
main plots for successions cropping, each forty-one by twenty-two feet,
and lettered A, B, and C. The cropping of these plots should be so
arranged that year by year the scheme for one plot may be moved forward
to the next, ensuring a different class of subject being grown on the
ground in successive seasons, resulting in the least exhaustion of the
ground. Of course in a garden of this size this is rather a counsel of
perfection, difficult to reach, yet where the rule has to be broken,
deep digging, manure and lime are used to minimise the evil.
This succession may be expressed in a formula:
First year A B C
Second year C A B
Third year B C A
Supposing that our scheme of successions cropping has already been in
operation, it must be remembered that the ground at the beginning of
the year will be pretty fully occupied, and we shall point out the
crops already in possession of the various plots as we discuss them
month by month. Taking then Plan I as the text, we will proceed to
briefly discuss the year’s routine, beginning with New Year’s day.