CHAPTER XXI 

 SYSTEMS OF CROPPING 



Necessity of intensive methods. The student who has 

 followed the discussions of previous chapters has doubt- 

 less observed that vegetable forcing is a most intensive 

 type of horticulture. It calls for large expenditures of 

 capital and labor upon relatively small areas. The invest- 

 ment on one acre of land may be greater than on a farm 

 of 100 acres. 



The first cost of the land is a small factor. But the 

 range of houses with its equipment of boilers, heating 

 pipes, water lines, packing room, etc., may represent 

 thousands of dollars, though it may be a mere garden 

 patch in size. Furthermore, we must bear in mind that 

 the cropping operations themselves are far more expen- 

 sive than similar lines of work in the field or garden. Every 

 need of the crop must be met by the employment of arti- 

 ficial methods. Large amounts of fuel must be consumed 

 annually. Even the water must frequently be paid for, 

 in addition to the labor involved in applying it. Tem- 

 peratures must be regulated and the ventilators operated 

 as often as may be necessary. It is necessary to maintain 

 the highest fertility of the soil, and sometimes to sterilize 

 it in order to prevent diseases or insects pests from gain- 

 ing the upper hand. Some of the vegetables require 

 special attention in the way of pruning, training, pollinat- 

 ing and spraying. The houses require more or less atten- 

 tion annually in order to keep them in good repair, and the 

 interest on the investment and the depreciation in the 

 value of the range and equipment must also have con- 

 sideration. 



An enumeration of the foregoing factors is given not 



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