220 
time, asparagus has been sold largely on the street stalls. What is 
more important for every-day wants, is the profusion of potatoes, which 
find ready purchasers. The question naturally arises, whence comes 
this constant and seemingly unlimited supply? Is it who olly of home, 
or partly of foreign production ? It is, indeed, eh worth the answer- 
-ing. Take, as an instance, to begin with—potatoes. In the middle o 
May, this year, in the streets, and in the poorest classes of shops, ne 
tatoes were offered for sale. If anyone 10 years ago had beer that 
the labourer's wife would be able to purchase such a luxury with her 
few pence, and yet be buying what she could reasonably atford, it would 
have been reckoned an utter absurdity. Nowadays it is an undoubted 
fact. Theround new potatoes in question come from the Mediterranean. 
ium the end of January to Easter, Malta supplies us with these new 
ring vegetables. This importation, however, seldom lasts beyond 
hs middle : of May ; still, while it does, it comes over in considerable 
bulk. Of the best-class Maltese rounds and kidneys over 800 or 900 
casks, cases, and boxes have aga sold at one auction rostrum in one of 
the best markets in less than a week. At what might be termed e 
second-rate markets much die same has been the case. These new 
potatoes, it must be owned, cannot hold their own against dion of 
fret Aiae supply comes that of Maderia and the Canary Isles. This, 
be it said, is of far better quality, as is the case with all vegetables 
bailing from the Canary Islands. But the pick of the early new spring 
potatoes is undoubtedly that which arrives, vid Paris, from Algeria. 
In the month of June, from Jersey, are seen in market both rounds and 
kidneys, in every way equal in quality to those which are grown in the 
home country. But the short transit must not be forgotten. A cas 
from Jersey could be easily opened in London within 24 hours. So 
much for the early foreign importation hailing direct from the Medi- 
terranean (even occasionally from Lisbon, although of somewhat poor 
quality), and, not over frequently, viá Calais, and even at times from 
Havre. tatoes—from Holland, viá Rotterdam —all the 
eastern ports and the 'Thames are constantly furnished with somewhat 
omne produce, grown mostly in the neighbourhood of Haarlem. In 
mber come to hand the excellent - Belgian kidneys, in mauy 
fep t market, mealy, dry, sweet, and clean. 
too wa 
With regard to onions, EAM appears to be wholly dependent upon 
the stupendous foreign i importatio Thousands of tons sometimes form 
the consignments in one week to ee ports of London, Goole, Grimsby, 
Hull, West Hartlepool, and the minor ports of the east coast. At 
the London auction the totals of 50 kilo bags often mount at one 
sale to 150 tons, provided prices be fairly good. The supply is as 
absolutely unlimited as thie demand. Onions are grown in every part t of 
Germany, from the Baltic to the Danube, many bags even being the 
