March 1895.] 



MAEKET-GARDENING. 



289 



increasing quantities until the Channel Islands season begins. 

 The average importation of potatoes for the first six months of 

 the last three years from France, Lisbon, Canary Islands, Malta, 

 the Channel Islands, and other countries was 1,764,258 cwts,, of 

 an average value of 710,586^. 



The importation of potatoes from the Channel Islands begins 

 in May and continues until August. The average quantity of 

 potatoes imported from this source for the four months — -May, 

 June, July, August — of the last three years was 1,171,216 cwts. 

 of an average value of 521,14 U for each of the three periods. 



The average annual importation of potatoes of the last three 

 years from all parts of the world to this country amounted 

 to 2,846,754 cwts., of an average value of 962,458^. 



The volume of imported potatoes has, however, decreased con- 

 siderably during the past quarter of a century, and the character 

 of the trade has changed in a great and significant degree. For 

 the three years ending 1875, the average annual importation of 

 potatoes was 5,363,136 cwts For the three years ending 1885, 

 the annual average importation was 3,297,867 cwts. Since 1880, 

 some of the large importing countries wiiich formerly sent 

 potatoes in the late summer and autumn have greatly diminished 

 their supplies as they could not compete with the English main- 

 crop produce. But from the Canary Islands, the Azores, Malta, 

 Spain, and the south of France, and other sources, steady supplies 

 ot new potatoes have been sent. 



Besides the new potatoes and onions imported, large quantities 

 of raw, un enumerated vegetables, such as peas, French beans, 

 lettuce, a,nd other " salads," cauliflowers, spinach, beetroot, 

 radishes, turnips, and cucumbers, are sent from Denmark, 

 Germany, Holland, France, Portugal, Madeira, Spain, Canary 

 Isles, Italy, Austrian Territories, Roumania, United States, and 

 other countries. The average annual value of these imported 

 vegetables during the past three years was 1,027,4] 11. In 1885, 

 the value of these raw vegetables was 467,287^., while in 1875, 

 it was only 182,124^ , divided mainly between Holland, France, 

 and Germany. 



This importation of raw vegetables is spread fairly evenly 

 over each month in the year, though it is somewhat larger in 

 June, July, and August. It interferes materially with the prices 

 of primeurs in the early spring months, and it is from primeurs 

 and delicate vegetables and salads that market-gardeners have 

 hitherto made their chief gains. Some profit is still made from 

 young bunching " onions, in May and June, as onions are not 

 imported in this form. These are now, however, produced by 

 farmers who, as a market-gardener remarked lately, " are driven 

 into it and look over the hedge and try to imitate their neigh- 

 bours." Until a few years ago, celery was a very paying crop, 

 realising gross returns of 40Z. to 70^. per acre, when it was 

 grown by comparatively few bond fide market-gardeners. 

 ISfow it is grown by farmers, and upon sewage farms, so that 



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