104 MARKET-GARDENING 



points, which is almost entirely devoted to market- 

 gardening. The area has greatly increased the output 

 is said to have quadrupled during the last twenty 

 years, owing in part, no doubt, to the fact that, as big 

 towns expand their areas, the market-gardening once 

 followed on their borders is pushed still further afield ; 

 but still more, probably, to the increased demand for 

 vegetables. Large farms have been cut up into small 

 ones, and entire villages converted into market-gardens, 

 ranging in size from 2 or 3 acres up to 200, the 

 majority, perhaps, being from 10 to 15 acres each. 

 Biggleswade has developed into a town with a popula- 

 tion of over 5,000, and Sandy has one of about 3,000 ; 

 but it is on market-gardening that the inhabitants of 

 each place are almost entirely dependent, the other 

 local industries being altogether insignificant. Nor has 

 the expansion come to an end, for within the last three 

 or four years about 1,500 acres of grazing land at 

 Wellington, near Bedford, formerly belonging to the 

 Duke of Bedford, have been taken over by a syndicate, 

 and transformed into small holdings for market- 

 gardeners. The London and North-Western Railway 

 Company built a station in order to open up the district, 

 and already the local traffic in vegetables, tomatoes, 

 etc., is so substantial that the station has had to be 

 enlarged. 



From Biggleswade the produce is largely sent to 

 London, whereas that from Sandy goes principally 

 to Northern and Scottish markets. But in each case 

 the consignments represent very considerable quantities. 

 Included in those sent from Biggleswade are vegetable- 

 marrows, cucumbers, beet, brussels sprouts, carrots, 

 parsnips, onions, radishes, sea-kale, cauliflowers, cab- 

 bages, parsley, leeks, asparagus, red cabbage, potatoes, 

 spinach, savoys, broccoli, Scotch kale, ' ragged jack,' 



