THE CONVEYANCE OF PRODUCE 



The available modes of conveying land produce to the 

 markets, or to the consumers, are worthy of a chapter, 

 for in many ways there is evident room for improvement, 

 and the growers' efforts are partly discounted by defects 

 that should admit of remedies. Garden crops in the 

 British Isles are largely conveyed by road and by rail, 

 and to a much more limited extent by post. It is there- 

 fore with the two first methods that we are chiefly con- 

 cerned, and these deserve our earnest attention. 



Conveyance by Road 



This old-time method of market gardeners situated 

 around the large cities still presents many advantages 

 where the distance is not too great. As compared with 

 former periods, there has been marked improvement in 

 the condition of the roads, which facilitates all kinds of 

 traction, decreasing the strain upon horses and increasing 

 the speed of conveyance. But against this advantage 

 must be set the fact that growers have been forced out 

 farther from the markets by the advance of population 

 and the value acquired by the land for building pur- 

 poses. Every few miles of road thus added to the 

 journeys increase expense and difficulties, until at last 

 the limit is reached as far as horse power is concerned. 

 In the metropolitan district it has been the custom for 

 generations to convey the garden produce to the central 

 markets by two, three, or four-horse wagon loads on 

 one day, and return with manure the following day. 

 From the London stables the manure could be had for a 



139 



