28 THE BOOK OF MARKET GARDENING 



It is sometimes found that a man can make a profitable 

 business with one group of plants alone, as with Ferns, 

 for instance, or even with one kind of plant, as Lilies of 

 the Valley, or any of those already mentioned. Such 

 results may be brought about by special experience and 

 skill, by the help of local conditions or circumstances, or 

 by the grower's perception of an increasing demand 

 which it pays to supply. It is unquestionable that a 

 material aid to any undertaking is yielded by an easily 

 produced speciality, and under exceptionally favourable 

 conditions it may be developed into a substantial 

 business. Still, the majority of those who engage in 

 market-gardening cannot depend upon one crop alone, 

 especially when the land held covers an extensive 

 acreage, and a combination of crops becomes a necessity. 



Vegetables 



Near populous cities vegetables are always largely 

 grown, as the demand is constant for fresh produce, and 

 where bulky or heavy crops of that kind can be con- 

 veyed by road, it is advantageous to the grower. 

 Another point in their favour is that under the best 

 systems of cultivation several crops can be raised from 

 the same land in one season. Soil which has been 

 brought to the highest state of productiveness by 

 constant working and heavy manuring is independent of 

 any precise system of rotation ; it is only a question of 

 time, weather, and good management to have the land 

 constantly occupied, or ready for the reception of 

 another crop as soon as one is removed. Again, too, 

 when fresh land is taken in hand, a course of cultivation 

 under vegetables is an excellent preparation for what 

 are to constitute the permanent crops. Very large 

 returns are also obtained from well-grown vegetables 

 of the more important kinds, and it is not therefore 



