French Gardening. 67 



favour as to warrant the absurdly high expectations which 

 have been encouraged in connection with this culture. The w 

 first three years of a newly formed garden cannot show much, 

 if any, profit at all, because during that time great quantities 

 of manure must be brought into the garden so as to hasten the 

 formation of that artificial soil which is one of the necessary 

 conditions of success, and in other ways the expenditure is 

 above the average, whilst production has not reached the maxi- 

 mum. Three years ago (1907) the expected net profit of the 

 maraichers amounted to between 50 and 60 an acre, which 

 is not particularly high considering the large amount of capital 

 at stake, and as good English produce realised equal or better 

 prices than the imported, such a profit might reasonably be 

 expected by the proprietors of well.-managed and well-situated 

 gardens in England. Since that time, however, the price 

 obtained in Coven t Garden market for early salads has shown 

 a decided downward tendency, owing probably to increased 

 supplies, whilst the cost of manure is rising. As a consequence 

 the expectation of profits must be now set lower than was the 

 case three years ago. 



French gardening, as a specialised business, is therefore 

 not to be recommended except under really favourable con- 

 ditions, but the system is rich in hints and suggestions of 

 great value, which can be turned to profitable account by the 

 market gardener. It may not be wise to undertake on an ex- 

 tensive scale the culture of very early out-of-season vegetables 

 which entail so much expense for appliances, manure, and 

 labour, but the culture is remunerative when conducted on a 

 small scale to supply a known demand, whilst there is not 

 the least doubt that crops which are ready a week or two 

 before those produced under ordinary conditions can be made 

 to pay the grower handsomely. In the following chapters the 

 appliances and methods which contribute to this desirable 

 result will be described and discussed. 



