The Plant- Grower and the Marhetman 5 



plant -growing. One must often find a personal cus- 

 tomer; and this customer rarely takes pains to wait for 

 the produce of one grower or to search for it in the 

 market, for the supply of vegetables is usually great: 

 consequently, the small grower may have to peddle his 

 vegetables. In most cases, the market -gardener must 

 keep long hours and must work hard. He must not 

 expect great reward the first year or two on a new place. 

 He must learn his soil, market and climate. If he is a 

 good plant-grower and a good business man, he will 

 succeed. If he is only a plant -grower, he will probably 

 be a slave to the marketman. 



There are many market -gardeners who make great 

 profits from given pieces of land, but they are usually 

 old hands at the business, and they do not make equal 

 profits every year or on every acre. They know the 

 markets thoroughly. In particular cases, when com- 

 petition is not severe, ample rewards may come easily to 

 the novice; but these are the exceptions. A special 

 crop well grown, or produced much ahead of the normal 

 season or much behind it, may turn a handsome profit. 

 Glass -grown products often bring fancy prices; but the 

 risks are also great. Some of the best locations for 

 small market -gardens are in the neighborhood of small 

 cities, where competition is likely to be less severe than 

 in the great markets, and where the grower may deal 

 directly with the consumer. The man who has a large 

 area, and sufficient capital to run it efl:ectively, can 

 dictate to the market, and can grow sufficient stuff 

 to bring a fair reward even at very close margins. 

 Prices are less than they were a few years ago, and 



