CHAPTER III 



FRENCH GARDENING 



THE previous chapter has shown us that we can get an 

 early supply of delicious vegetables without going in 

 systematically for what is known as French Gardening. 



The French system is a highly concentrated one, and 

 necessarily expensive. Under it an enormous amount 

 of produce is got from a small area of ground, because 

 the soil is greatly enriched and rapid successions are 

 arranged. The upper soil is turned into a black mould 

 (terreau) with manure, and the under soil, which the 

 British gardener breaks up and brings into cultivation, 

 is left untouched. 



Amateur gardeners who adopt the French system of 

 gardening generally find it unsatisfactory. The truth 

 is that it is too highly specialized to be conducted success- 

 fully without close study, considerable outlay, incessant 

 attention and long practice. A person who has had no 

 training could no more expect to succeed in it than a 

 beginner at chess could expect to be able to solve a 

 master's problem. 



French gardening is essentially scientific. It brings 

 knowledge, assiduity and a variety of ingenious ap- 

 pliances to bear on the problem of the earth's increase. 

 It is a business system. It was developed in order to 

 supply the markets. 



A private gardener or amateur would not find it 



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