56 SCIENTIFIC SURVEY OF BLACKPOOL AND DISTRICT 



Horticulture. 



Adjoining the seaboard there is a belt of warm, sandy loam, merging into a 

 peaty loam, known locally as ' moss ' soil. These soils are admirably adapted 

 for the more intensive forms of horticulture, specialising in the cultivation of 

 out-of-season salad crops and those grown under glass. The Marton district, 

 just on the east of Blackpool, may be regarded as the centre of the glass-house 

 industry in the county. 



In this area not only is the soil suitable, but other factors, such as sunshine 

 hours, equable atmospheric temperature, high rainfall, pure water supply and 

 proximity to good markets, provide conditions favourable to the development of 

 glass-house culture. This industry meets not only the local requirements of 

 the adjacent towns, but large quantities of tomatoes, lettuce and other crops 

 are consigned to East Lancashire and Yorkshire markets. 



Most of the glass-houses in the district are of the aeroplane type, which are 

 usually built in a series of bays measuring 1 5 feet to 20 feet wide, 1 1 feet to 

 12 feet to the ridge and having a height of 5 feet to 7 feet to the eaves and 

 intermediate gutters. Some of the older houses are of the ' vinery ' type, 

 having a height of 4 feet 6 inches to the eaves and about 10 feet to the ridge. 

 Between these two types there are numerous structures of various widths and 

 heights adapted for the special cultures for which they are best suited. 



Cropping System. 



The chief crops grown are tomatoes, chrysanthemums, winter and early 

 spring lettuce, forced mint, forced bulbs, cucumbers, mustard and cress, and 

 asparagus for foliage. While unheated houses may still be found in this 

 district, the great majority are heated by hot water circulated on the thermo- 

 syphon principle. 



During the months from March to September the houses are planted with 

 tomatoes at the rate of 15,000 to 17,000 per glass acre. The preparation for 

 the tomato crop is very thorough ; the land is deeply cultivated, and receives 

 a liberal dressing of strawy horse manure at the rate of 20 to 25 tons per acre, 

 which is supplemented by generous dressings of artificial fertilisers. The 

 average yield of tomatoes is approximately 33 tons per acre. 



In a large majority of the houses the tomatoes are cleared by the middle of 

 September, and they are again filled with winter- flowering chrysanthemums, 

 which have been growing outside during the summer months. It is com- 

 paratively rare to find chrysanthemums grown in flower pots, but the recent 

 introduction of open wire pots has found favour, particularly in respect to 

 certain varieties of chrysanthemums which are bad lifters. The usual practice 

 is to cultivate the land by mechanical cultivator after the tomatoes are cleared, 

 and then lift the chrysanthemums by spade or fork and bring them into the 

 houses, and plant them fairly close together in the borders previously occupied 

 by the tomatoes. Usually 30,000 to 33,000 chrysanthemums are planted per 

 acre. 



The cultivation of the chrysanthemums out of doors during the summer to 

 bring them to the proper stage of development to flower at the required period 

 demands a good deal of skill and a knowledge of the special requirements of 



