Vegetables. 
1AQ = 483 
CHAPTER III. 
Vegetables. 
cultivation of vegetables for market was first adopted in First introduc- 
country about the middle of the seventeenth century, t'oii of^^^rket- 
lening for profit, according to Fuller, the old historian, f-^'J^^jy^J^ 
pt out of Holland," from whence vegetables had been long i7t1i century. ^ 
irted into England, "to Sandwich in Kent," and it has 
Lially developed into a most important branch of national 
strv. Vegetables are grown to an enormous extent now in 
it Britain, both by market gardeners, who cultivate from 
50 acres of land, in the vicinity of London, and many other 
• towns ; as well as by farmers who grow all kinds of this 
uce upon a large scale in localities where the soil is suitable 
a the facilities of transport are good. As the profits of 
onnary farming are small in these days, farmers of land in 
CO anient situations naturally turn their attention to the culture 
of ?getables, which pays fairly well, as a rule. 
ccording to the Agricultural Returns for 1877, there were Extent of acre- 
.ji59 acres in Great Britain used as market gardens or for the :ige of land 
CTvth of vegetables in that year, viz :— *° 
0 o J ^ growth of 
England 3i,-i6-4 vegetables in 
Wales 446 1877. 
Scotland 2939 
ifty vears or so ago, vegetables were produced chiefly in 
ni;ket gardens where spade-husbandry alone was practised, in 
th suburbs of London and in the bordering counties of Kent, 
Ef;x, Middlesex, Surrey, and Hertfordshire. There is still a 
ce lin area, within a radius of a few miles of the Metropolis, 
Ire the old system prevails; but as the land is being gradually 
rbed for building purposes, this is decreasing year by year, 
iiiand this area of market gardening proper, which may be Area round 
st->d the inner circle, defined by small holdings, spade culture, J^letropnhs, or 
an the easv distance from London markets, so that the produce 
1 be sent in upon waggons and carts early and fresh ; there is Area beyond 
uter circle extending far into Kent, Essex, and Surrey, where Metropolis, or 
.11 • • • 1 1 1 • • •.. 1 outer circle, 
table-growing is earned on upon a large scale, in a spirited 
ner, with the appliances of implements and machinery that 
ised in ordinary farming. In some cases the produce is sent 
ail from this outer circle, but a large portion of it is con- 
(1 by horses direct to the London markets, and manure is 
d home. Great cart and waggon loads of vegetables, piled 
n the most artistic manner, may be seen coming into all the 
1 
