COMMERCIAL GARDENING 47 



quality is demanded ; the produce must be presented to 

 the buyer in the best condition, and no effort should be 

 spared to ensure this if lasting reputation and sound 

 trade are desired. In this connection therefore we will 

 review some of the chief subjects which affect the results. 



Selection of Kinds and Varieties 



Quite apart from the larger question of the special 

 crops a market gardener has to decide upon as most 

 likely to repay him for his labour and outlay, is the 

 secondary but still important selection of kinds and 

 varieties. For instance, it may be considered that fruits 

 offer the best prospect of profit in a particular soil and 

 situation, and attention will, in consequence, be concen- 

 trated upon these, though other crops will be grown 

 besides. But the matter is not settled there ; considera- 

 tion must be given to the point of which kind of fruit is 

 the most promising, as apples, pears, and plums, cherries, 

 small fruits, etc., and when that is disposed of the selection 

 of the varieties requires careful attention, for a large 

 share of success is usually dependent upon this. If 

 varieties most suitable to the soil and district are 

 obtained, and these also are adapted to the growers' 

 special requirements, skilful cultivation ought then to 

 yield the best results that can be possibly secured from 

 land devoted to commercial gardening. The foremost 

 growers have long recognised this in whatever depart- 

 ment of horticulture they may work ; the seedsmen and 

 raisers of new fruits, flowers, and vegetables have proved 

 its truth repeatedly ; yet there are in many districts men 

 who are struggling to extract a living from the land 

 who practically disregard it. They prefer to keep to 

 the " good old sorts " because they have seen several so- 

 called novelties proved to be failures. Yet there are 

 few of such men who have not also seen some of their 



