Covent Garden Market. 625 



to a determination not to attempt that high, but necessarily expensive, state 

 of culture hitherto pursued by them. The discharge of half their usual 

 labourers will probably be the first step, as being one of immediate effect j 

 throwing up a portion of their land will be the next; and turning a portion 

 of their uncovered land to agricultural purposes, for their own immediate 

 consumption will be the next. The consequences of such proceedings 

 may be readily anticipated by any one conversant with the many very 

 important interests that will be sensibly affected. I do not hesitate to 

 offer it as matter of opinion, that this state of things has been much 

 encouraged by the false stimulus of extensive capital and enterprise, which 

 has been for the last twenty or thirty years applied to horticulture as well 

 as agriculture, the reaction on which has only anticipated a few years. I 

 am well aware that to establish such opinion would require an extended 

 inquiry into many of the causes, which my limits in this article will not 

 allow. 



The drought of July and part of August has created a deficiency in 

 the usual crops of turnips, coleworts, &c. ; but the late refreshing rains, 

 and the present fine warm weather, will soon furnish us with a full supply 

 of them. Peas, beans, and French beans have been in great abundance 

 and of excellent quality. The prices, as may be observed on the list, 

 moderate, and, in many instances, very low. Carrots are becoming 

 plentiful, and of better quality than was at first expected. Onions for 

 pickling have been most abundant, at about one third of last year's prices, 

 which induced many persons in Bedfordshire to cultivate them, who had 

 not before attempted it. We have had frequently eight or ten cart loads on 

 a market day, brought from Biggleswade, Sandy, and Girtford, a distance 

 of forty or fifty miles. I am informed that great quantities have been sent 

 from Bedfordshire to Birmingham, Coventry, and even to Leeds, a distance 

 of 70, 100, or 150 miles. Cucumbers are also extensively cultivated at 

 that distance ; but, in consequence of the prevailing alarm, the prices have 

 been so low that they would not realise the expense of carriage. The 

 same observation will apply to those grown in the immediate neighbour- 

 hood of London, where a large capital is employed in their culture, being 

 very generally grown under hand-glasses, and at considerable expense ; but 

 acres have been destroyed, and the remainder sold for little more than the 

 cost of labour in gathering and bringing them to market. 



The prospect of a good fruit season, in the early part of the summer, 

 gave promise of a good autumn ; but the alarm has also extended to this, 

 and produced a most direful change for the growers The crop is certainly 

 good, especially of pears and apples ; but plums and damsons are not so 

 plentiful. Filberts and walnuts are in excellent supply. Wall fruit gene- 

 rally has been supplied in profusion, and perhaps never at so low a price ; 

 but nevertheless it cannot be disposed of. Grapes, which are at all times 

 considered wholesome, have this year suffered under the prevailing interdict, 

 and, although of excellent quality, are offered at prices which in ordinary 

 seasons would be obtained for those of a very indifferent kind, but cannot 

 be disposed of. Pine-apples of good size and condition have been sold at 

 2s. 6d. per lb., a price never before heard of, except for those of indifferent 

 quality and small size. The supply has certainly been large, owing to the 

 increased culture of them, and the comparative facility with which they 

 are now produced ; but the returns to the growers will necessarily oblige 

 them to abandon the pursuit, as they cannot in this country possibly grow 

 them at any rate under 5s. per lb , and of course occasionally at four times 

 that price. The supply of Dutch melons has been less than usual, in conse- 

 quence of there being no sale for them here : our own produce has been 

 plentiful, but unsaleable at any price Altogether this may be considered 



Vol. VIII. — No. 40. ss 



