i879-] MARKET-GARDENING IN ESSEX. 4G1 



"for the season" (one buyer I am acquainted with r this season employed 

 120 pickers), who either work by the day or by measure. Sieves and bags 

 are provided by the salesmen, the charge for which is included in their com- 

 mission. The best prices for Peas in this district was £12 per acre, and for 

 Runner Beans £15 per acre. The latter is a long price as the season will 

 be short, as, of course, the first severe frost destroys them, and we have already 

 (4th Sept.) had some frosty nights. 



Potatoes is another expensive crop, and will, I am afraid, pay very badly, 

 disease being very prevalent, which has caused many to lift and sell early at a 

 rather low figure. Those who fortunately have a good crop of late Potatoes 

 will get good prices for them, but this will fall to the lot of but few. Early 

 Dons, Early Rose, and Shaws are grown for the early supply, these being 

 followed with Victoria and other Regents. Rocks, and Scotch Champion Red 

 Skin, Flourhall, would not sell well last season, but many regret not having 

 planted any this season, as such vigorous varieties only appear capable of with- 

 standing the disease. Sutton's Magnum Bonum will eventually become a 

 popular variety, as with us it is the only variety that has withstood the 

 disease, and this will have the effect of bringing it into prominence. Last 

 winter Turnips of any description realised high prices, as also did Carrots, 

 Leeks, and Onions, being in great demand for soup making (which is more 

 extensively made during cold weather), but as soon as the w T eather became 

 mild, it did not pay to send them up. Onions are an expensive crop, on ac- 

 count of the cost of seed, the amount of manure, and the hand- work requisite 

 to secure a heavy crop. They kept badly last winter, and probably will be 

 still worse to keep this season, as they are very backward. Where nitrate of 

 soda was used as a manure they are still remarkably green. I have my doubts 

 about their keeping, and shall make inquiries on the subject. Onions are often- 

 times sown broadcast, and stand thickly on the ground. During the past 

 winter "green stuff" of every description realised extraordinary high prices, 

 this included much that was really sown for sheep-feed, such as Rape, Turnip- 

 tops, &c. Small Cabbages were sold in the market at one penny a piece, the 

 consumers having to pay threepence for them ; and other species of the Bras- 

 sica tribe realised proportionate high prices. Much that sold readily would 

 not during some seasons pay for the carriage up, and I very much doubt if so 

 great a quantity of stalks and leaves were ever eaten in London before. 



Nearer London there are large farms given up entirely to growing vegetables, 

 and it is among these that gardeners can gain the most practical information. 

 The quantity of vegetables grown on a comparative small area is something 

 extraordinary. Rotation of crops is to a certain extent, but not strictly, carried 

 out, neither is it necessary, as they use immense quantities of manure, which 

 is being constantly brought to them by water, railway, and traction engines, 

 not three parts exhausted, as that too often used by private gardeners is, but 

 strong fresh manure only sufficiently decomposed to render it workable. With 

 the help of this the soil can be constantly cropped (and must be too, or it will 

 soon be too rich for anything) and the crops are much stimulated, Cabbages 

 especially coming off very quickly. Failing these heavy supplies of manure, 

 it is absolutely necessary to rotate with such crops as Rye, Turnips, Rape, &c, 

 to be fed on by sheep, and thus to a certain extent restoring the fertility to the 

 soil previously much exhausted by a vegetable crop. 



Late Potatoes are frequently planted with the spade between Cabbage ; and 

 the earliest Peas I saw this season were dibbled in in a similar position. The 

 Cabbage in this instance evidently affording protection to the growth and 



