FROM FARM TO MARKET. 357 



of London by Edward III., conveying to it the 

 sole right to establish markets within seven 

 miles' circuit of the City. The system, though 

 now broken up — even with regard to pro- 

 visions, so far as the retail trade is concerned 

 — remains intact in regard to the vending of 

 certain provisions wholesale.'" What states- 

 man, Mr. Wilkins asks, shall win immortality 

 by breaking up the rest ? 



" They (the producers) send up their best 

 produce under the illusion that they are deal- 

 ing with the merchant princes of the best 

 market in the world, whereas, in reality, they 

 are only supplying the lowly costermonger 

 with job lots at half-price. Covent Garden 

 market especially monopolises the most valu- 

 able market site in London because of its 

 proximity to the West End, but it is meanly 

 managed, cribbed, cabined, and confined. Out- 

 side the market, in the dirty narrow street, 

 waggon-loads of choice produce wait for hours 

 and lose their market. Hundreds of empty 

 carts bar the drivers' way to the salesmen's 

 stands, and the drivers fiercely contest every 

 inch of room. The writer himself has gone 

 through this experience from 4.30 to 7.30 a.m. 

 After urgent remonstrances he has had to wait 



