CHAPTER II 



THE AMOUNT OF CAPITAL REQUIRED, AND 

 WORKING FORCE PER ACRE. 



The small amount of capital required to begin fanning 

 operations, creates great misconception of what is neces- 

 sary for commercial gardening; for, judging from the 

 small number of acres wanted for commencing a garden, 

 many suppose that a few hundred dollars is all sufficient 

 for a market gardener. For want of information on this 

 subject, hundreds have failed, after years of toil and priva- 

 tion. At present prices, (1866), no one would be safe to 

 start the business of vegetable market gardening, in the 

 manner it is carried on in the neighborhood of New York, 

 with a capital of less than $300 per acre, for anything less 

 than ten acres ; if on a larger scale, it might not require 

 quite so much. The first season rarely pays more than 

 current expenses, and the capital of $300 per acre is all 

 absorbed in horses, wagons, glass, manures, etc. If the 

 capital be insufficient to procure these propei'ly, the 

 chance of success is correspondingly diminished. 



I can call to mind at least a dozen cases that have occur- 

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