4 The Profitable Culture of Vegetables. 



constant; calculations can be made and results obtained with 

 a near approach to accuracy. But it is not so in cultivating 

 the land. In this case it is impossible to forecast the result of 

 any single operation. The most carefully laid plans may be 

 made abortive by the vagaries of the weather. Insect pests are 

 always at hand to take a heavy toll of the crop unless persistently 

 battled with, and fungoid diseases are ever lurking near, ready 

 to attack any crop subjected to unsuitable conditions. 



Happily, there is another and brighter side to the picture, 

 or the outlook would be hopeless indeed. The law of averages 

 keeps the troubles of the cultivator within reasonable limits. 

 There are in the long run few things more dependable than 

 the average returns from the soil when crops are afforded 

 the necessary conditions of healthy growth. Just as climatic 

 vagaries and the numerous other difficulties happen with 

 average frequency, so in like manner will crops properly 

 handled produce an average of successful results. Even the 

 prices obtained in public markets come, to a certain extent, 

 under the same law periods of glut when prices are low being 

 followed by periods of scarcity when prices are high and so 

 we get from men of experience the sound advice to " follow the 

 market, good or bad "; that is, providing a wise choice is made 

 in the first place, the same staple crops should be steadily 

 grown season after season, in spite of a fluctuating market, 

 and the total cash receipts will be almost certain to work out 

 satisfactorily in the end. 



The lesson to be derived from this is that difficulties become 

 manageable when faced with resolution and with knowledge. 

 Success is always the ultimate outcome of sound work when 

 the end in view is understood and details are properly attended 

 to. Spasmodic effort or uncertainty both lead to failure ; for 

 success, industry and attention to the work in hand must be 

 unremitting, and every operation carefully studied. Gardening 

 is always more or less intensive culture, and differs mainly from 

 extensive farming in that it adds to such culture numerous 

 small but highly important details, to omit or neglect any of 

 which frequently means loss or failure. The purpose of this 

 book is to supply the knowledge necessary in one branch of 

 agriculture the culture of vegetables for profit. 



