Watering
and Sewering the Kitchen Garden
by Duncan MacDonald
As
rain water (next to pond and river water) contributes most to
the vegetation of plants, drains should be contrived to carry
the rain water from the roofs of the dwelling, etc., into a
basin or reservoir. If you have hard water only, pump it several
days before it is used: lumps of chalk thrown into the well,
and more when the water is drawn, will much contribute to soften
it; a basin, for its reception, made with clay, will soften
it more than if made with bricks.
If
you have no convenience for constructing a basin, two or three
tubs should be procured at a spring: oil casks or rum puncheons
will answer the purpose; coat them with white paint; and, before
they dry, strew sand over them; repeating this painting and
sanding three or four times in the bottom, both inside and outside,
and the tubs will last many years.
Sink
them into the ground, and convey the water into the highest
first, from which it may easily be conveyed to the others by
wooden troughs. Put chalk at the bottom.
One
of the tubs near the hotbeds will be very convenient; and, also,
one near the strawberry plantation; as, in dry weather, there
will be no fruit unless they are watered.
A
tub should also be sunk into the ground, to receive the drainings
of the dunghill, the chamberlye from the house, and the brine
in which meat has been salted; this will serve for watering
asparagus and other early crops, blighted fruit trees, etc.
