CHAPTER II. 



THE AMOUNT OF CAPITAL REQUIRED, AND 

 WORKING FORCE PER ACRE. 



The small amount of capital required to begin fanning 

 operations, creates great misconception of what is neces- 

 sary for commercial gardening; for, judging from the 

 small number of acres wanted for commencing a garden, 

 many suppose that a few hundred dollars is all sufficient 

 for a market gardener. For want of information on this 

 subject, hundreds have failed, after years of toil and priva- 

 tion. At present prices, (1866), no one would be safe to 

 start the business of vegetable market gardening, in the 

 manner it is carried on in the neighborhood of New York, 

 with a capital of less than $300 per acre, for anything less 

 than ten acres ; if on a larger scale, it might not require 

 quite so much. The first season rarely pays more than 

 current expenses, and the capital of 8300 per acre is all 

 absorbed in horses, wagons, glass, manures, etc. If the 

 capital be insufficient to procure these properly, the 

 chance of success is correspondingly diminished. 



I can call to mind at least a dozen cases that have occur- 

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