394 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



by shops, and the shopkeepers buy at markets. The markets 

 under such ^conditions become specific instead of general, and are 

 held much more frequently. Hence arose daily markets whereat 

 only garden produce was dealt with, and thus market gardeners 

 became a special class of producers. 



The great changes brought about by the discovery of steam, 

 and its application as a motive power, have entirely altered the 

 conditions of life amongst a large proportion of our working 

 population. The inventor has produced the manufacturer, who 

 has caused densely crowded towns full of hungry workers and a 

 busy middle class to arise as by magic, even in quiet rural 

 districts, whilst larger towns (especially London) have increased 

 beyond'conception. This has had a corresponding effect upon 

 our market gardener. Driven from his original suburban 

 holdings by the advancing town, he is bound to seek fresh fields 

 and pastures new. His few acres atBattersea, Chelsea, Fulham, 

 Hammersmith, Peckham, Deptford, and other near neighbour- 

 hoods have to be vacated for farms in a wider area, but within 

 carriage distance, enabling him to attend a market centre. 

 Nor is this all. For, by a wise dispensation of Providence, the 

 same motive power which has been so instrumental in causing 

 mankind to congregate into large centres has also opened up 

 fresh and more distant fields, both native and foreign, for their 

 supply. Thus the market gardeners near the great centres of 

 consumption are now brought into competition with a more 

 distant class, who have sprung into existence in localities where 

 the soil and position are favourable to special productions. In 

 addition to this there can be no doubt but that the increase in 

 wealth and purchasing power, accompanied by higher tastes 

 and improved education, has made greater demands for variety 

 and higher excellence in our food supply, and an additional 

 impetus is given in this direction by the dietary prescribed by the 

 highest medical and sanitary authorities. Thus we are living in 

 an age which demands infinitely more, both in quantity, quality, 

 and variety, from our market gardeners. 



Let us now turn and see to what extent these public wants are 

 met. But before going into the question of his productions I 

 should like to take a snapshot at the typical market gardener 

 of sixty years ago, of whom a few examples may still be found. 

 There he stands, possibly on the same stand as his forefathers 



