Market-garden Farm Competition, 1879. 
849 
of pictures, chiefly by old masters, some of which are valuable 
specimens of art. 
Mr. Patches Market-garden 
is close to Barking, and is distant about seven miles from the 
Spitalfields Market, to which the greater part of its produce is 
consigned in waggons, which, as in most other cases, bring manure 
back. The soil is a light friable clay, on the London Clay 
formation, about 12 to 18 inches in thickness, resting upon beds 
of sand and small gravel, not good enough for road mending. It 
is somewhat more heavy in texture towards the southern part of 
the garden, and not of high class quality in any part : but it may 
be said to be grateful land, and costs Mr. Patch 520/. per annum 
for rent, rates, and taxes, or close upon 5/. 155. per acre. Seven 
horses are kept, high-class animals, strong, active, and clean- 
legged, fitted for field and road work, and must have cost at 
least 70 guineas each. Horses are also occasionally hired 
in busy seasons. As to the profits made, the cost of labour, the 
annual average expenses of manure, and other incidentals, the 
.Judges could form no very definite idea, for Mr. Patch does 
not " worry his head with figures," being too much occupied 
with the outdoor part of his business, and being " too tired at 
right to post up his account-books." They managed to glean, 
however, from conversation with him, that he was perfectly 
satisfied with the general results, and that his profits in some 
seasons and upon certain vegetables are very large, although 
it costs him 3000Z. per annum, or rather more than 30/. for 
each acre, before he can touch a farthing of profit. From 
data furnished by other persons and from other sources, the 
Judges believe that the average expenses of market-garden land, 
cultivated in the ordinary manner, amount to 30/. per acre, 
taking an average of seasons. In some cases, however, as in that 
of Mr. Lancaster and his special culture of celery, the annual 
outlay per acre is much larger ; but it must be admitted that 
30/. per acre is a large sum, and that it requires great judgment, 
much forethought, energy, and practical knowledge, with con- 
tinuous supervision of labourers, and personal labour also, to 
ensure success. Sometimes the seasons are utterly out of course, 
and, as in the last winter, spring, and summer, baffle the efforts 
of the most foreseeing and energetic. Constant frost destroyed 
a great part of the greenstuff, upon which the cultivators depend 
for much of their profit. Constant wet weather made weed- 
killing at least one-third more expensive than usual, and caused 
many of the seeds of such plants as scarlet-runners, French beans, 
marrows, and cucumbers to rot in the ground. Sometimes the 
VOL. XV. — S. S. . 3 L 
