150 THE BOOK OF MARKET GARDENING 



demand that could be enforced by lawful methods of 

 combination amongst producers, powerful as the Com- 

 panies are. Just as the advance of electric lighting led 

 to great improvements in gas lighting, we anticipate 

 that the extension of motor, tractor, and tramway 

 traffic will bring about important changes in railway 

 accommodation for growers and all classes of producers. 



In the meantime it is to the grower's interest to take 

 the fullest advantage of such facilities as are already 

 available, though sometimes the complainants are them- 

 selves at fault, and the railway officials receive a greater 

 measure of blame than is their due. Inefficient prepara- 

 tion and packing of goods, lateness of delivery at the 

 stations, and a blind way of continuing consignments to 

 markets that are already glutted, lead to many unfavour- 

 able results that are entirely due to the grower's want 

 of system in his business. 



Another matter does not receive the attention it merits, 

 and that is the utilisation of passenger train service for 

 all the choicer and more valuable produce, confining the 

 business done by goods trains to the rougher vegetables, 

 which can be forwarded in greater bulk. With the best 

 service of goods trains there is always much shunting to 

 be done en route, which leads to considerable risk of 

 damage, and delays too. When a goods train can be 

 made up at a centre for a town or district this is reduced 

 to a minimum ; but if open trucks are employed with 

 sheeting laid directly over the produce, it is far from 

 being an ideal mode of conveying perishable goods. The 

 greatly improved special vans constructed for garden 

 produce, especially for fruits and flowers, has been an 

 advance of a distinctly favourable character. Those in 

 use on the Great Western and Midland lines are excel- 

 lent in all respects, being well ventilated, spacious, and 

 covered so that the contents are thoroughly protected 

 from the weather. The ventilators are covered on the 



