386 THE NEW GARDENING 



Mats for covering the frames are necessary. The mat 

 used by British gardeners is the Archangel, a very warm 

 mat. The French gardeners use rye-straw mats, good 

 examples of which may cost i8s. to i per dozen. They 

 should be dressed with sulphate of copper solution, i Ib. 

 to 3 1 gallons of water, every year, and dried. 



Minor accessories include water barrows, with or 

 without engines for throwing the water, water tanks, 

 manure barrows, packing crates, cloche carriers, tuber 

 trays and tools of various kinds. 



In some large and well-equipped French gardens a 

 narrow-gauge railway is run along the principal divisions 

 to facilitate the transport of manure. The trucks used 

 are light, and can be run with horse or even hand labour. 



A packing shed is necessary, so that the packers can 

 work in comfort and the goods be sent off in a proper 

 condition. Moreover, there will be jobs to do in wet 

 weather. 



In round figures, the cost of thoroughly equipping a 

 French garden may be set at 1000 per acre. 



The labour may be set at three hands per acre. It is 

 an advantage if extra local labour, partly female, is 

 available at certain periods. There may be a good deal 

 of Lettuce-tying, for example, at particular times, and 

 this could be done more economically by girls than by 

 men, for they would not only work for a lower wage, but 

 quicker. 



We may turn to the principal crops grown in the 

 French gardens, which consist of Melons, Cucumbers, 

 Tomatoes, Strawberries, Asparagus, Cauliflowers, Vege- 

 table Marrows, Mushrooms, Lettuces, Radishes, Celery, 

 Endive, Carrots, Turnips, Spinach, Rhubarb, Beans, 

 Chicory, Beetroot and Parsley. These should be in 

 season as follows : 



