REMARKABLE RESULTS 149 



as regards distribution in general, this should be effected 

 more promptly in the case of the Evesham salads, etc., 

 than of those coming from France. The former can be 

 despatched by goods train from Evesham at six in the 

 evening, to arrive in London by midnight; while as 

 regards leading provincial centres there should be the 

 saving of a day in the transport from Evesham, as com- 

 pared with the transport from the environs of Paris. 

 The saving in freight, also, is no less important than 

 the saving in time and the consequent gain in freshness, 

 the railway rates for French vegetables from Evesham 

 to London being 253. per ton, as against 953. per ton from 

 Paris to London. 



It is still too early to speak definitely as to the financial 

 results of the Evesham experiment, for though the prices 

 realized on the produce grown in the French garden 

 there between April and November were substantially 

 higher than those secured for the corresponding English 

 produce grown under ordinary conditions, Messrs. 

 Idiens had not had the advantage of selling during the 

 earliest months of the year, when prices would naturally 

 be at their best. All the same, I asked Mr. John Idiens 

 if he could form any estimate as to the probable outcome 

 from a financial standpoint ; and, after taking time to 

 consider the matter further, he has favoured me with 

 the following communication : 



Roughly, we should think that the gross annual value per acre of 

 the produce from the French garden will work out at from ^600 to 

 700. This calculation is based on the actual results obtained from 

 | acre. Until we have had a full twelve months' trial we cannot say 

 what the expenses will be, but so far we are quite satisfied. The 

 conclusion at which we have arrived, as the outcome of our experi- 

 ment, is that this 'French produce' can be grown quite as well 

 in England as in Paris, provided fairly good aspects are selected. 

 This is the opinion also of the Frenchman in charge of the garden. 

 He considers that our climate is better for the early lettuces than 

 the climate around Paris, as nothing like the same proportion have 



