No. 4.] MARKET GARDENING. 39 



The men for foreuien arc mostly young men who have 

 grown to manhood on the place, and have become expert in 

 a good many lines, as putting in seed, setting plants or put- 

 ting up stuff for market. These men get $25 to $35 a month 

 and board ; the Italian men get $9 a week ; women and boys 

 get $1 or less per day. 



The number of hands employed in the busy season is a 

 pretty good index of the amount of business done. On one 

 place of 7 acres I have counted 20 hands ; on one of 10 

 acres, 27 hands ; and one of 100 acres, 120 hands. On an- 

 other place of 80 acres only 60 are employed during the 

 busy season. 



The cost of labor on some of these places will be as high as 

 $400 per acre for a year ; on others it will not be over $250. 



Two of the most important men on a market garden are 

 the plowman and salesman. Without the plowman you can- 

 not plant, and unless the stuff is well sold there will not be 

 much profit. 



A good plowman usually takes great pride in his work, 

 and for fancy work he has his favorite horse. As I have 

 watched these plowmen of different farms, it has seemed to 

 me that a level-headed horse is a great aid to the plowman 

 in doing good work. A good plowman can do most of the 

 hilling of potatoes, corn, celery or tomatoes, and in the har- 

 vesting of celery or parsnips he can help immensely by the 

 proper use of his jilow. 



The market gardener gives very careful attention to the 

 preparation of his ground for a crop. It must be plowed 

 and dragged level. Next it will be manured. In manuring 

 out, great care is taken to have the piles even in size and 

 equally distant apart. When they are spread every inch of 

 surface must be covered evenly to the edge of the field. 

 Then the manure is plowed in not over 6 inches deep, and 

 the surface dragged level again. Now the plot is ready for 

 plowing and raking. The plowman begins his work, and 6 

 men with iron or wooden rakes follow him and rake down 

 each furrow as it is turned up, smoothing out the whole sur- 

 face, and raking all stones or rubbish into the furrow. This 

 method of preparing the ground is practised on all market 

 gardens about Boston Avhen a fine seed bed is wanted. 



