Of Gardens. 447 



their former fertility. The most experienced horticulturists 

 are now agreed, that even the currant, gooseberry, and rasp- 

 berry quarters, should be changed every seven or eight years, 

 and the strawberry ground every four or five years. The chief 

 market-gardeners near Edinburgh, think it essential to adopt a 

 certain rotation of principal crops, to be afterwards stated. 



6. With respect to the articles cultivated in kitchen-gar- 

 dens, there are above eighty different sorts, raised even in 

 Scotland, notwithstanding its inferiority of climate; the mere 

 enumeration of which, with some remarks on their nature, 

 quality, and mode of culture, would fill several pages, and 

 must therefore be omitted in so limited a work as this ( 4I9 ). 



3. Market-Gardens cultivated by the Spade. The market- 

 gardens in the neighbourhood of London, from the amount 

 and value of their produce, are entitled to peculiar attention. 

 Owing to the natural richness of the soil ; the quantity of ma- 

 nure given them ; the labour bestowed on their cultivation ; 

 and the skill with which they are managed, the produce 

 of those in the immediate vicinity of the metropolis is esti- 

 mated at from L.100 to L.200 per acre, per annum. As such 

 produce is so unusually large, it may be proper to explain 

 whence it arises. 



The gardens situated at the Neat Houses, near Chelsea, in 

 Middlesex, are distinguished for their produce and value ; but 

 they have many advantages in their favour. The soil is na- 

 turally fertile ; for a great length of time it has been culti- 

 vated for kitchen -gardens, and abundantly supplied with dung ; 

 by attention to the sluices, the occupiers can have the com- 

 mand of water ; and being situated in the immediate vicinity 

 of the metropolis, the expense of conveyance is moderate ( 4ao ). 



But the place where the greatest quantity and value of 

 produce, are raised from the smallest extent of land, is in the 

 neighbourhood of Blue-anchor-lane, Bermondsey, Surrey. 

 That is effected, by covering, from a third to a fourth part of 

 each garden, with hand-glasses and frames, the former, to as- 

 sist in forwarding the growth of the articles planted ; and the 

 latter to preserve, during the winter season, such plants as 

 are to be placed out in the spring, to succeed the former. 

 Gardens managed at such, expense, may well produce to the 

 great amount of even two hundred pounds per acre per annum. 

 But when the subjoined statement of the expenses attending 

 the culture is considered, even that produce does not furnish 

 more than an adequate remuneration, for the outlay of capi- 

 tal, and the unceasing fatigue and anxiety of mind attending 

 such a troublesome concern. 



2F 



