French Gardening or Intensive Cultivation 213 



shaped like the letter H in two pieces, with a screw swivel in the centre. 

 The two long legs are stuck in the ground at the corner of a range of 

 beds. The two upright and the horizontal arms are fitted with revolving 

 reels. The hose pipe passes between these, and as it is pulled backwards 

 and forwards it moves readily on the reels, and can be carried round right- 

 angled corners without being trailed over the crops on the adjacent beds. 

 Altogether a useful and ingenious imple- 

 ment. 



For packing purposes light wooden 

 crates (fig. 526) are chiefly used. They 

 vary in length from 22J to 24J in., in 

 width from 11 J to 13f in., and in depth 

 from 5J to 8J in. These are light, strong, 

 and durable, and cost from 4s. to 8s. per 

 dozen wholesale. It would be a conveni- 

 ence to have cheaper non-returnable chip Fig . 526 ._ Iight Wooden Crate for Lettuces> 

 baskets or crates, as there is a general &.-. 



tendency in these days against being 



bothered with returning empties which take up space that could be per- 

 haps better utilized. 



Expenses and Receipts of a " French Garden" of Two Acres. 

 For commercial purposes it is scarcely worth while establishing a French 

 garden of a less area than 2 ac., while 3 ac., or even 4, thoroughly culti- 

 vated according to system, would probably yield larger profits in pro- 

 portion to the outlay. At the same time, it is possible to obtain valuable 

 returns from only J ac. or 1 ac. of ground if the beds are made up properly, 

 and the frames, lights, and cloches are in constant use during the winter 

 season. 



The following figures may be taken as fairly approximate. The ex- 

 penses are given rather higher than they are likely to be in actual practice, 

 while the receipts are placed on a comparatively low basis. 



I. ESTIMATED ESTABLISHMENT EXPENSES OF A TWO-ACRE FRENCH GARDEN 



(CAPITAL OUTLAY) 



300 frames and 900 lights 450 



3000 cloches @ 5 per 100 150 



1000 rye-straw mats @ 7 per 100 70 



Horse, van, and harness ... ... ... ... 60 



Water pots, spades, rakes, dibbers 1 



Manure baskets and stands, tilts f 16 00 



Hose pipes, hand barrow, &c. 



Packing shed 20 



Miscellaneous 25 



791 



Water supply, pipes, &c. (see p. 211), say ... ... 180 



Total . 971 



