Ciii^qell $L )Soi\^’ i^Morkl Grtii<ie. 
aniiitcurs could secure for the purpose. For the present we must jog trot with our 
green hoards, and keep the long stalk in mind as a pleasant thing to dream about.” 
1 was the first south of the Thames that took a prize for Chrysanthemums at the 
iirst show held at the Crystal Palace in 1858. 
It was 1 in 1864 who first built model low span-roofed greenhouses, the most 
serviceably shaped houses, such as jiovv feed the markets and the |)ublic. Particulars of 
these I issued in leaflet form containing diagram, and the size and length of ever}' part, 
so that any amateur or nurseryman could build their own without askinga cjuestion, and 
the result was that you can see this exact form of greenhouse all over the country and 
America. This information 1 sold for lid., and undoubtedly the world has been 
benefited to the amount of several million pounds. 
I established a nursery in 1864 on a bare and barren railuay bank at AV'oolwich, 
and soon created a business that required all the room ])ossible, and at last I had eight 
landlords and one landlady— often one is too much — and only occupied an acre of 
ground. Business still increasing, and to make a bold and successful move, in 1874 I 
biased 17 acres in the midst of the hop gardens at Swanley, at that time a place almost 
unknown, containing only half a dozen cottages. One iiOO-feet well served the village, 
and from which we had to obtain uater. However, 1 soon ])revailed upon the Water 
Company to extend their pipes four miles for me. After this the neighbourhood 
rapidly rose, shops and cottages were erected, and the whole surrounding districts 
became flourishing and busy. One postman came five miles and delivered all our 
letters, now it requires nearly 20 persons to do the business connected with our 
post oflice. 
s 230 ) 
