Crops for Pickling and Preserving. 
713 
tadish seed . 
3eans, kidney and Frencb, fu 
seed . 
'ickling cabbages . 
Mangel seed . 
Wheat . 
3arlev . 
Acres 
30 
25 
20 
40 
120 
80 
Clover, seed and feed 
Swede turnips, feed 
Carrots, feed 
Sweet pea seed 
Artichoke seed 
Lavender 
Mangel, feed 
Acres 
20 
40 
5 
H 
H 
i 
5 
Garden crops were grown to a larger extent this year, as 
essrs. King had got a portion of their newly taken land in 
uitable condition. To keep the land in condition for carrying 
uch exhausting crops, Messrs. King annually purchase 2,000 
ons of London dung, 4,500 sacks of soot, and 30 tons of dis- 
solved bones — this is in addition to the large amount of dung 
obtained from the live stock, of which 1,300 sheep were fattened 
off in 1888, besides 150 heavy beasts, and 120 big hogs. These 
consumed bran which cost 1192., pollards 1671., oats and barley 
15942., cake 0522., beans and peas 784Z., straw and hay 2061. : a 
total of 25212. The labour bill exceeds 7,0002. per annum ; rail- 
way bill 1,8002. ; rates 500?. As Messrs. King have built up this 
successful business, and as they are generally regarded in the 
trade as among the most capable of those engaged in the growth 
of many of the crops to be discussed in this paper, there is no 
need to apologise for frequently referring to their methods. 
Bedfordshire is now almost the only district in which brining 
■ is practised, for since Messrs. Circuit's business in Essex was 
closed, the trade has drifted to the first-named county. Never- 
theless, the whole of the crops pickled or brined there are not 
grown in the neighbourhood, although by far the greater part 
are. No district possesses a better record, both past and present, 
than some of the land around Sandy and Biggleswade, which 
still holds a leading place, although it has been devoted to special 
crops for a great number of years. In Batchelor's " Agriculture 
of Bedfordshire," published by the Board of Agriculture in 1807, 
the author mentions that Sir John Sinclair told him, in answer 
to questions, that 
Gardening has been carried on at Sandy from time immemorial, but in- 
creases considerably. The rent is supposed to be from 21. 10k. to 3/. The 
articles principally produced are green pease and beans, cucumbers, potatoes, 
parsnips, carrots, radishes, cabbage-plants, and turnips, which are sent to 
markets in all directions to the distance of sixty miles, and perhaps further. 
Onions are not enumerated in the foregoing list, but that 
they were grown is shown by the following : — 
I am informed that at Biggleswade a field manured and cleaned has been 
let for one year to grow potatoes and onions for 51. or Gl. per acre. 
