I was much interested, recently, in the complaint of a brother gardener, that his employer "cared no more for a rare plant than for a bunch of Beets." I merely inquired, "Does he care for the Beets?" This gentleman, it seems, did care for "the Beets;" vegetable-growing was his hobby - vegetable superiority his delight. Now, I honor such a man. There is something workman-like about him which I admire. He begins at the right end. He is a true friend to the gardener; and we shall prob:

It is a sound philosophy which places the useful before the beautiful. Let a vegetable garden once be well attended to - once become an object of perfection - become a source of pleasure and pride to the proprietor, - and Roses, and Violets, and perhaps even the Victoria herself, will not long remain forgotten or uncared for.

A good vegetable grower must not be classed with the mere "plodder." There is dignity attached to his profession. The plant or fruit grower has not more. The science of his branch is deep, and its art affords scope for high culture. He has innumerable topics to study; a great diversity to interest The soil, situation, and aspect of the garden; its arrangement, division, and formation, to the best advantage; its connection with other arrangements for manure, for water, and for general conveniences; the best situation for permanent crops, and the best places for peculiar ones; the times and seasons for seed time and planting; the several culture of each kind to the mutual advantage of both the crop and the ground; the production of crops at an unnatural or an unusual season, and the preservatien of others to a late period; the faculty of watchfulness for all improvements, either in the kinds of vegetables themselves or in their modes of culture; - these are among a few of the points to be attended to in successful vegetable-gardening.

To do full justice to each of these heads, would fill a volume; and there are many excellent volumes on the subject, well repaying perusal. All I propose to do in this chapter, is to call the attention of the novice to a few main points in each; so that once well directed, he may easily pursue by himself the path to success.

The best soil for a vegetable garden is a brown loam, inclining to sand. Other soils may be better for certain crops, but this will be adapted to most, while all can be made to do well in it.

The nature of the subsoil is of importance. One impervious to moisture will not do; any other may be tolerated - a bed of brick-earth preferred.

The situation should be convenient for access, for manure, and for water; and have a slight fall to the southeast, and shelter on the northwest.

In its division and arrangement, the walks should run at right angles; and, if the garden be of "any" extent, be made of a hard bottom, and wide enough for a cart to pass over. The "squares," for the convenience of digging, should be square, or in parallel, right angled lines.

In preparing the soil, underdraining will in many cases be of advantage, if it can be properly done; otherwise it "will not pay." The drains, whether of stone, tile, or brick, ought to be two and a half or three feet deep, and not more than nine yards from each other. Then the benefits of trenching the soil would prove great, especially if about a foot in depth of stable manure be first laid over the surface. There are two ways of trenching: one loosens the soil, say two feet deep, and brings the lowest soil to the top; the other loosens the soil to the same depth, but leaves the subsoil still at the bottom. The first is employed to renovate worn out soil; the last is to be used in forming a new garden.

Having got our garden sited, formed, and fixed, the permanent crops next call for location. We have to deal with Horse-radish, Rhubarb. Asparagus. Sea Kale, herbs and sometimes Globe Artichokes. Herbs of all kinds are essential to a well-kept garden, and are usually disposed in odd corners, narrow borders, and frequently as edgings, or division lines. The other articles are best kept by themselves in adjoining beds, all thriving in pretty much the same soil. The Asparagus perhaps relishes a more sandy soil than the others. Rhubarb and Sea Kale should adjoin, for the convenience of early forcing. Small fruits are also considered as kitchen garden crops, and come under the permanent class. Here we have Currants, Gooseberries, Strawberries, and Raspberries. These may be in beds by themselves, in near connection with the others. Currants and Gooseberries are frequently employed to adorn the sides of walks, being placed at about nine feet distance from each other. Of the vegetables above mentioned, the Rhubarb alone affords scope for much variety; I prefer the Victoria.

The arrangement of the more temporary crops to the best advantage, requires more skill; and, indeed, almost every gardener has some peculiar ideas of his own. As a general rule, green crops - such as Cabbage, Spinage, etc. - should be planned to follow root crops - as Turnips, Potatoes, etc.; though this can not always be done, as some families use more of one kind than others would do, and these again more of the same in one season than in others. I will give a short sketch of my own method; others can vary it to suit circumstances. My most extensive crops are Bush Beans, Celery, Corn, Onions, Peas, Potatoes, Salsify, Spinage, Turnips, Tomatoes, and Lima Beans. My other crops are, therefore, subservient to these. I give these the "first choice" of ground; the others come in where they can. The ground to be occupied with Corn, French Beans, Tomatoes, Lima Beans, Melons, Cucumbers, Squash, Okra, and Egg Plants, not being required before the middle of May, any amount of Spinage, or Radishes and Lettuce, may be raised previously. Then those crops taking the greatest quantity of fresh manure are associated, as the root crops will have to follow them next season without manure.