868 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



time to spare from the consideration of cattle diseases, barbed-wire 

 fencing, pure beer, and protection, to notice such insignificant items as 

 fruit and vegetable growing. The Department of Agriculture does not seem 

 to be able to make up its mind whether " market-gardener " is a term 

 which really represents a distinct calling or whether (to parody the 

 description of a Transatlantic importation in fruit) it does not represent 

 the derogation of a farmer and the prostitution of a horticulturist. This 

 is scarcely to be wondered at, however, when a great society, which shall 

 be nameless here, fails to provide a single class in its schedule wherein at 

 any of its shows the market-gardeners can compete among themselves, 

 and some demonstration be afforded the public of how the fruits and 

 vegetables they get from their fruiterer and greengrocer are sent to 

 market. Doubtless the same public is more interested in the manner in 

 which the fruit and vegetable world supply their quota to the menu of 

 the millionaire and aristocrat. 



Reverting once more to market accommodation, the grower who sends 

 his goods to any London market and sells them himself has still (as his 

 predecessors centuries ago had to do) to sell his goods upon uncovered stands, 

 exposed to all the weathers that come. He cannot avail himself of such 

 modern things as the telephone upon the market ; he can have no 

 security in his market tenancy, nor any goodwill ; and while obliged to 

 transact his business in the small hours of the morning, he must put up 

 with w r hat apology for light he can get. 



