68 Market Gardeniiig, 



does- not always or solely depend on their stage of ma- 

 turity. The market gardener of to-day would say that 

 the time to harvest a crop is when it will bring the 

 most money. Although of course there are some vege- 

 tables that cannot be gathered until they are ripe, as 

 otherwise they are practically worthless — such as mel- 

 ons, celery, and cauliflower, which it would be folly to 

 touch until they had reached maturity — yet also there 

 are some, like beets, lettuce, spinach, etc., which, after 

 reaching a certain early stage of growth, can be mar- 

 keted readily, and to profit. 



In crops that are to be marketed when young and 

 tender, it is plainly of vital importance to have expe- 

 rienced hands for the work, as such articles are very 

 easily injured, and rendered unsalable by careless 

 handling and packing for transportation. 



The same considerations, though perhaps less ob- 

 vious, are equally important in the case of vegetables 

 that are to be stored for the winter. These also 

 should be harvested and handled with care, and placed 

 in storage only when dry or in just the right condition, 

 for their keeping qualities must largely depend on their 

 treatment at this time. 



The Amount of Capital and Labor Required. 



Among gardeners, opinions vary as to the area that 

 an individual may wisely include in his plans. Many 

 have an idea that five acres of land will be enough; 

 others put it at ten ; while it is known that some culti- 

 vate a hundred acres or more at a profit. The amount 

 of capital required varies, to some extent, with the 



