450 On the Reclamation of Peat-Land in the Netherlands. 
Market-gardening . — Mr. Schellings has about 20 acres devoted 
to the growth of market-garden and fruit-crops. Some of this 
land he bought of the Company at 60/. per acre, and some of it 
he rents at bl. per acre. A lew acres, belonging to a neigh- 
bouring commune, he purchased at 335. Ad. per acre, and he 
spent in one year 30Z. per acre in labour, manure, &c., in 
reclaiming it. This land now bears splendid crops, while all 
round it the country is a mere wilderness, not to say a desert. 
He considers that his garden is now paying him back some of 
the capital which he has invested in its cultivation, and that the 
land is worth to a purchaser double the amount that it has cost 
him. The produce of this market garden often realises as much 
as 80Z. per acre, but then the cost of manure and labour fre- 
quently amounts to 50/. per acre, of which about two-thirds are 
paid for labour. The cost of the plant, more especially of the 
frames, is also very great. 
Succession of crops. — Each year the land carries two, three, or 
more crops, and the following are specimens of the succession 
taken on the same land in one year : — 
A. (1.) Cauliflowers planted in spring, with (2) runner-beans, 
either flageolets or haricots, sown between the rows, and (3) 
endive and celery planted between the beans, after the cauli- 
flowers have been sold. 
B. (1.) Potatoes ; (2) runner-beans between the rows as 
before ; and (3) endive and celery taking the place of potatoes 
as they are dug and sent to market. 
C. (1.) Carrots, which are sown mixed with leeks, and some- 
times also with cabbage lettuces. After the carrots are marketed, 
the lettuces develop themselves, and finally the leeks, which 
remain until the winter, as this vegetable is not blanched in 
Holland as it is with us. 
D. (1.) Peas with radishes, spinach, &c., between the rows; 
(2) the small seeds are succeeded by Brussels sprouts ; and (3) 
peas are succeeded by endive. 
E. (1.) Potatoes, followed by (2) late cauliflowers or Brussels 
sprouts or beet. 
F. (1.) Early potatoes planted in rows wide apart ; (2) 
intervals between the rows of potatoes sown with cucumber 
seed in the middle of May, the produce to be used as gherkins 
for pickling ; (3) after the potatoes are lifted (in the middle of 
June), cauliflower plants are pricked in ; and (4) after the 
gherkin plants are cleared away the ground is occupied by 
salads. This mode of cropping requires, it need scarcely be 
added, a very heavy dressing of manure. 
G. This is rather a special system of cropping, and may be 
shortly described as follows : — Cauliflowers having been sown 
