JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
274 
t April 6,1882. 
Even Brongniart came short; Camille, Daubenton, Horace 
Vernet, Legouve, Le Vesuve, L’Unique Violet, Murillo, Mary 
Stewart, &c., answered indifferently to the roll-call; and so 
the wail might be prolonged. The advice has been offered, 
“ Stick to less costly varieties." As well tell one accustomed 
to real gems to adopt those of paste. In this case even the 
outward semblance would almost be wanting, the inward satis¬ 
faction would equally be gone, and rather than do that I would 
follow the example of my mentor of six years ago and discard 
them altogether. 
And so the blanks have in great measure been supplied, 
necessary preparations made, the roots will be duly planted, and 
the ordinary results will in all likelihood follow. If success is 
not attained it certainly is not without every effort being made 
and every precaution taken to deserve and secure it. New 
ground has been trenched and prepared according to all re¬ 
cognised instructions, and suspense and the usual alternating 
hopes and fears remain in prospect. In conclusion, to all who 
may wish to have their equanimity fairly tested, to be tanta¬ 
lised to the full, and to have an overful purse relieved, I can from 
my own experience strongly recommend, if they have not yet 
tried, an extensive cultivation of the Gladiolus.—A Northern 
Amateur. 
MUSHROOMS FOR THE MILLION. 
(Continued from page 231.) 
COMPARATIVE PROFITS OF OUTDOOR CROPS. 
Having- shown, what will not he disputed, that 
Mushrooms are highly esteemed because they are 
delicious ; also that they are nutritious and constitute 
an important article of food; further, that the supply 
is quite inadequate to the demand that exists for them 
in the great centres of population, and lastly that they 
can he grown indoors or out in every district of the 
kingdom where horse stable manure is plentiful, and 
skill is provided or may be created to use it rightly, 
endeavour must now he made to show the accuracy of 
the statement that has been made relative to the re¬ 
munerative character of the crop. It has been asserted 
that in this respect it exceeds all others that can be 
grown in fields or gardens for purposes of consumption, 
the cultivation of choice plants and flowers, and 
raising valuable seeds, being so special that they are 
not fairly eligible for comparison ; but such crops as are 
eligible are hardy fruits of various kinds and vegetables. 
First, then, the average value per acre of several crops 
shall be approximately adduced, and it will be seen 
that the remunerative character of Mushrooms sur¬ 
passes them all. 
* 
VALUE PER ACRE OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES. 
In submitting the following figures it is necessary to 
say that they are founded on the average results that 
have been realised over a series of years. In some 
districts certain crops may exceed the amounts per 
acre, hut during other years the majority of crops will 
by no means equal the values apportioned; indeed, 
during some seasons there are both vegetable and fruit 
crops that afford no profit to the cultivator. This has 
been the case with much land devoted to fruit during 
recent years, and not less so in regard to many vege¬ 
tables. The severe frosts of winter have destroyed many 
of the latter, while such summer and autumn crops as 
Peas, Kidney Beans, Savoys, &c., have so far exceeded 
the demand as to he unsaleable at prices that would 
even fairly remunerate the growers, as many of them 
know to their cost. The advice that is so frequently 
given, with the best possible intentions, to farmers to 
grow green vegetables for market on their farms is 
neither safe nor sound, unless it is limited to those 
in specially favoured districts. These remarks are neces¬ 
sary, alike because they pertain to a subject of national 
importance, and because without some such explanation 
as they convey, the undermentioned estimated values 
might be deemed too low. Fruit crops, like vegetables, 
are also affected by the disastrous effects of spring frosts; 
but over an average of seasons fruit culture is doubtless 
profitable, and the more certain to be so when different 
kinds are grown, as they seldom all fail together. 
Under all the circumstances the average values given 
are believed to be rather too high than too low; and 
they certainly have not been fixed with the object of 
presenting more favourably the relatively greater value 
of Mushrooms. By way of adducing proof of the 
absence of any such desire, some extreme prices that 
have very occasionally been realised for certain crops 
and recorded as extraordinary shall be adduced, and it 
will be seen that even as compared with these the 
profits resulting from a simple yet well-conducted 
system of Mushroom culture are enormously greater 
than can be derived from any other farm or garden 
crop that is grown in the open air in this country. 
In estimating the value per acre of different produc¬ 
tions, we will first take the fruit crops. Cherries may 
be valued at (or as fluctuating between) from £20 to 
£40 per acre ; Filberts, £80 to £50 ; Gooseberries, £20 
to £80 ; Black Currants, £80 to £40 ; Red Currants, 
£20 to £80 ; Strawberries, £10 to £60 ; Raspberries, 
£20 to £40 ; Apples, £20 to £40 ; and Plums, includ¬ 
ing Damsons, at £25 to £40 per statute acre. 
The following may be taken as nearly as can be 
obtained fair average values of some of the principal 
vegetable crops—Potatoes (early), £20 to £80; Cab¬ 
bages (early) £40 to £50; Lettuces, £10 to £40; 
Peas, £10 to £80; Kidney Beans, £10 to £20; 
Onions, £20 to £40; Cucumbers, £10 to £20; 
Brussels Sprouts, £10 to £30 per statute acre. It 
must be remembered, however, that stated in this 
form the value of the land under vegetable crops is 
not fully rendered. Land devoted to fruit-production 
can only yield one crop in a year; but under skilful 
management two or even three crops of vegetables are 
produced ; but ordinary farmers cannot be expected to 
produce them, and until they can they will often find 
fields of green vegetables unprofitable ; but even under 
the best system of double cropping and allowing to each 
of the crops the full average value, they in combination 
do not approach the amount derivable, and which has 
frequently been derived and is regularly obtained from 
Mushrooms occupying the same extent of ground. 
Now as a still stronger comparative test of the profits 
of Mushroom-growing some extreme prices that have 
been realised for other crops shall be adduced—namely, 
£100 per acre for very early Potatoes ; £192 for Onions; 
£100 for early Cos Lettuces ; £100 for Plums ; £100 for 
Gooseberries ; £150 for Strawberries ; £168 for Black 
Currants, and £200 per statute acre for Filberts. 
Tomatoes may also be included, although the crop is 
now extremely uncertain in consequence of the pre¬ 
valence of the disease that often so seriously affects 
them, and not unfrequently renders the crops worth¬ 
less. Still in a favourable season as much as £800 per 
acre can be obtained from a crop of Tomatoes in the 
open air. Even these “ extraordinary ” prices are far 
