PROCEEDINGS OF THE HORTICULTURAL ASSOCIATION. 703 



P. n. ^fcad presented to tlie speaker, witli appropriate remarks, two beau- 

 tiful boiKiuets; one illustrating the natural arrangement of flowers, and the 

 other the geometrical. 



On motion of Mr. Jireh Bull, the thanks of the Association were ten- 

 dered to the Rev. Henry AVard Bcccher for his interesting lecture, with a 

 request for a copy for publication. 



After some remarks by the lion. Geo. Bancroft, the Association adjourned. 



John W. Chambers, Secretary 



March 14, 1865. 

 Mr. Benjamin C. Townsend, President, in the chair 



The Market Gardens of New Jersey. 



BY PETER HENDERSON. 



The market gardens of New Jersey, in the vicinity of New York, are 

 embraced in a half circle of ten miles from the City Hall. The lands occu- 

 pied by them now cannot be less than a thousand acres, and it is dt)ubtful, 

 indeed, if there is anywhere, in the whole length and breadth of the land, 

 another spot where the soil is cultivated in such a thorough manner, and 

 with such profitable results. In many cases, the returns per acre are as high 

 as §1,500; and it is perfectly safe to say, that the whole will average $1,000 

 per acre, that is to say, the receipts from a thousand acres will be one 

 million of dollars. But this high degree of fertility is only obtained by 

 the highest cultivation, all farm lands broken in for market garden pur- 

 poses requiring at least three years to bring them up to this high produc- 

 tive standard. The varieties of vegetables cultivated are few in number, 

 and for the most part are diiferent from those of the Long Islanders, whose 

 lands embrace a much greater extent, but are by no means so highly culti- 

 vated The vegetables grown are principally cauliflowers, cabbages, 

 beets, -spinach, onions and lettuce, as first crops, and celery, horseradish, 

 thyme, sage and other herbs as a second; for be it known, that for old 

 mother earth to produce such results, she must be kept active, for no sooner 

 has she developed the spring crop in July, than the plough and harrow 

 again invade her rest, and she is planted with the ciop that is to be 

 developed in the fall. 



It may be of some interest to detail the manner of cropping. Cauli- 

 flowers, for instance, are planted out two feet between the rows, and fifteen 

 inches between the plants; at the same time, between the rows of cauli- 

 flowers are planted lettuce plants, which are fit for use ^ before the cauli- 

 flowers are grown enough to injure them; and being cutoff, the cauliflowers 

 have the full benefit of the space until the end of June or the first week in 

 ^July, when they also are fit for market. As soon as they are cut off, the 

 ground is cleared without delay, and planted with the fall crop of celery. 

 Our manner of cultivating which I will briefly describe. After the ground 

 lias been well pulverized by ploughing and harrowing, lines are struck out 

 three feet apart on the level surface of the soil. No trenches are made, as 

 is usual in private gardens. The plants are then planted six inches apart 

 in rows The ground is kept clear by the cultivator until September, when 



