Chap. XXVL] THE MARKET GARDENS OF PARIS. 463 



edgings and in gravelled surfaces sunny welcome to the seeds of 

 weeds. Under a better system, all the trouble of cleaning the 

 walks, and keeping edgings, etc., in order, would be saved. As to 

 appearance, there is nothing nearly so beautiful in the ordinary 

 kitchen-garden as may be seen in a garden where the whole 

 surface throughout the growing season is covered with healthy 

 green vegetation. 



Fifth. Because of Modern Wants.— Ihe kitchen-garden is 

 now planned as it used to be when most of the flowers, fruits, 

 etc., were grown within its walls. In those days there was 

 absolute need of walks in the kitchen-garden, from the season 

 of the Golden Crocus to that of the Christmas Eose. But we have 

 changed all that. There has long been a desire to separate fruit- 

 gardening from kitchen-gardening : the wisdom of this view need 

 not be discussed here, but there can be no doubt that in most 

 gardens flowers — hardy as well as tender — have left the kitchen- 

 garden for good. 



Sixth. Economy. — In many kitchen-gardens there is quite a 

 mile of broad, gravelled walks, mainly for the " convenience " of 

 those who have to perform the pretty frequent labour of cleaning 

 them and the edgings, etc. Space may not be very precious in the 

 places spoken of, but it is none the less true that the ground often 

 wasted in walks would be sufficient to grow vegetables for a large 

 family. It is obvious that a market-gardener who tried to do his 

 work in a paradise of walks would soon be heard of in the Bank- 

 ruptcy Court. None of them however are simple enough to go to 

 work in this manner. But it must not be thought that their 

 gardens are always untidy because of the absence of walks. In 

 most countries, the better class of market-gardens are models 

 which the private gardeners might well study, even from the 

 point of view of neatness and appearance. Is it needful to speak 

 of the absurd waste of means in the making and keeping of walks, 

 edgings, etc., not merely useless, but the source of perpetual loss 

 of time and means ? 



Various other reasons against the common practice could be 

 given, but they are not needed. The present system is so firmly 

 rooted that few will be able to change to a better plan soon, but, 

 nevertheless, the opening of the question will probably do good. 

 In the present state of horticulture, where so much remains to be 



