24 The Principles of Vegetable- Gardening 



beds. These same men calculate the profits to be 

 from $150 to $250 per acre. 



Very different is the case on the immediate out- 

 skirts of Philadelphia, and other large cities, with the 

 five- and ten -acre gardeners, employing several men to 

 the acre, sometimes a larger force, where high rents, 

 high wages, intense manuring and expensive forcing- 

 houses combine to swell the expenses to an astonish- 

 ing degree, often over $600 or $700 per acre being 

 absorbed the first year, and without which ready 

 capital at command the suburban cultivator would be 

 driven to the wall before the close of the first season, 

 as he works under heavy expenses, and he must have 

 ready cash to meet them, especially if the first season 

 be an unprofitable one. Of course, the $600 or $700 

 per acre which may be expended the first year by a 

 gardener having forcing -houses, with all the entailed 

 expenses, need not be repeated the second, not more 

 than one -half of it, and, indeed, it is absolutely 

 necessary to reduce expenses, as the profit in truck- 

 ing would not warrant such an annual cash outlay." 



FoUowing is a detailed estimate for buildings and appliances 

 to operate a ten- acre farm for general gardening near one of the 

 eastern cities, by E. J. Hollister, a market -gardener who has had 

 much experience in the middle states and West (prices of 1898-9) : 



Equipment 



Dwelling house f 600 00 



Barn, sheds for tools, and shelter in which to prepare 



vegetables for market 300 00 



Horses and horse tools — 



2 work horses 200 00 



1 set double harness 35 00 



