254 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
April 5,18C4 
GROWING FOR THE SEASIDE MABKET. 
Vegetables, Fruit, and Ozone. 
“ Bless you, I could eat like a horse ! ” This is what every 
friend tells you when, tanned and bronzed, he gives you some 
particulars of the seaside holiday from which he has just returned. 
Impartial observation hardly bears out the implication that the 
gastronomical abilities of the faithful steed are so much in excess 
of those possessed by most other animals that he can be justly 
singled out to provide the necessary simile ; but custom has 
ordained that on him, and him alone, its burden shall rest. True 
it is that the element which the chemist, with a fine sense of 
expository clearness, defines as an allotropic modification of oxygen 
is a splendid appetiser, and consequently we find that the seaside 
markets have to be more heavily charged in proportion to the 
mouths to be fed than those of inland towns. 
Where a few popular seaside resorts cluster somewhat thickly 
together there is an opening for market garden enterprise which 
is not to be despised. If they are fairly large places the normal 
population keeps things moving through the dull half of the year, 
while in “the season” the influx of hungry visitors gives an 
immense impetus to trade. There are two such clusters which I 
have in view, or perhaps the stretch of towns could be better 
■divided into three groups—(1) Hythe, Seabrook, Sandgate, and 
Folkestone ; (2) Dover, Walmer, Deal, and Sandwich ; (3) Rams¬ 
gate, Broadstairs, Margate, Westgate, Birchington, and Herne Bay. 
Of the three groups the two latter are liberally catered for, but in 
the first it seems to me that there is an excellent opening for an 
enterprising marketman. The towns are growing rapidly, and 
the market is a capacious one. A well managed all-round estab¬ 
lishment would pay, and it is surprising that the chance of building 
up a lucrative business has gone begging so long. The well-known 
Canterbury nurseryman, Mr. Mount, has just started a nursery at 
Folkestone, and it will doubtless fill a much-felt want; but I am 
strongly of opinion that a competent marketman would have an 
equally good opportunity. 
In growing for the seaside market provision has to be made for 
a large and constant supply of vegetables and fruit from June till 
October inclusive. The demand then is enormous, and the yearly 
growth of the towns favours its increase. I recently had a chat 
with one of the largest market growers in the little isle, or erst¬ 
while isle, of Thanet, where the hedgeless fields and broad marshes 
of fat grazing land extend for many miles. The farm, or rather 
collection of farms, comprises between 300 and 400 acres, mostly 
under fruit and vegetables. Managed as it is on up-to-date 
principles, the amount of produce obtained from this large area 
is very great, and the chief bulk of it goes to the coast towns. It 
is impossible to avoid contrasts between this huge garden farm and 
one under agricultural crops. In the capital that is being turned 
over and the labour employed it is as a Regent Street emporium to 
a suburban back-street shop. The whole place is full of life, not 
in a semi-somnolent condition. In the years that are gone corn 
was grown, but with Wheat at 203. the quarter the Thanet 
cultivators know better than to trouble about it now. 
Some of the Essex farmers whom I have met of late object 
vaguely to garden crops, even although admitting, nay bitterly 
complaining, that things are going to rack and ruin under the old 
regime. Are Potatoes suggested ? The market has been long 
over-stocked. Are Onions referred to ? There is no demand for 
them. If it is pointed out that the importations go on increasing 
by leaps and bounds, thus proving by the irrefutable testimony of 
facts that there is a demand, and a growing one too, some other 
excuse is resorted to. I asked the Thanet marketer if he found 
Potatoes answer. “ Come,” was his reply, “ and see how we do our 
early ones. I think it will please you.” I went, and the sight I 
saw is one that I shall not soon forget. Substantial brick sheds, 
warm but well lighted, shelter hundreds upon hundreds of shallow 
boxes, wherein earlies and second earlies have been sprouted so as 
to give strong and early produce. The boxes have been specially 
made of stout deal, and hold half a bushel of tubers. Each one rests 
upon the edges of two others, a wooden block being inserted 
between so as to lift them clear, and so they are stacked from floor 
to roof, like huge columns of sacks in a great seed warehouse, but 
w'ith air playing freely between and amongst them. No long, 
white, weakly sprouts, like so many churchwarden pipes, are 
pushed by these tubers, but each has a stubby shoot nearly half an 
inch thick firmly fixed to the tuber, and with roots bristling at the 
base. These are already plants, and when they are put out their 
growth is early and vigorous, giving produce in advance of that on 
the leave-alone system, and consequently more valuable. The 
outlay in boxes alone must have been close upon £50, and it is 
easy to imagine the horror of many a worthy old farmer if it were 
suggested that he should expend even 50s. in boxes for sorouting 
seed Potatoes for field cultivation. He would scout the idea of its 
paying at any cost, but the wide-awake seaside grower goes on 
increasing his stock of boxes every season. He can sprout 
between 400 and 600 bushels of Potatoes now, and is working his 
way steadily to the thousand. 
“And about Onions, Mr. Philpott?” I asked, as the Potato 
inspection concludes. There were not many left, for the great 
bulk had been profitably disposed of, but there were a few samples 
of White Spanish far in advance of the ordinary farm quality, and 
perfectly sound. They represented high garden culture. Parsnips 
were nearly done, for there is quite a rush for this wholesome and 
nourishing vegetable during Lent, when the butcher has his slack 
time, but a good heap of Carrots remained. The variety is Sutton’s 
Intermediate, which is found to be one of the best for market, as 
it has already proved itself a grand exhibition sort. It is note¬ 
worthy that new varieties, however high-priced, are constantly 
being tried in the hope of finding improvements. This applies to 
Cabbages, Broccoli, and all other vegetables besides those named. 
I hinted that the land must be highly fed to yield the produce 
it does, and am told that all the manure of the Ramsgate 
Corporation is taken, besides that made at home, and that in 
addition to these two sources of plant food, which in themselves 
represent an enormous amount, 1000 loads are contracted for in 
Margate. Think of the handsome annual income that the money 
spent on manure would represent if it were not laid out as it is in 
this case. But it is through high cultivation that the money 
comes. If it were not spent ungrudgingly to feed the soil the 
magnificent crops would dwindle to insignificance, and instead of 
prosperity there would be the gradual drifting towards insolvency 
which is so mournful an aspect of much British farming. Fruit is 
fed as well as vegetables, and the broad acres of Apples, Plums, 
and Cherries, of Currants, Gooseberries, and Raspberries, every tree 
and bush a lesson in itself of the benefits of judicious pruning, 
adequate nourishment and cleanliness, form an eloquent and 
impressive sight. 
This splendid farm, the excellence of which would gladden the 
heart of any observer who rejoices to see his country doing itself 
justice by sound methods and intelligent work, is under the 
management of a young man of twenty-three. The shoulders 
are young to bear so heavy a burden, but a practical business 
training has qualified him for a task which a sad calamity threw 
upon him long before it might, in the ordinary course of nature, 
have been expected. Mr. Philpott allies sound ideas with a 
singularly modest demeanour, and a disposition for acquiring fresh 
knowledge and improved methods. A complimentary reference 
to what has been done brings a quick reply that they are always 
willing to learn more. 
If I may venture to point a moral to this short story it would 
be that enterprise, hard work, and practical methods have not yet 
had their last W5rd in England. The old country is not played 
out, nor is it moribund. There is fight left in it, and pro¬ 
sperity yet to be won on the land. But the old methods must go. 
The slough of despond in which we are struggling now is simply 
a mire of mingled embarrassment and red-tapeism, and in due 
course it will be left behind. Our cultivators will awaken to the 
fact that it is change, not collapse, which threatens them, and when 
that is recognised the calm appropriation of British markets by 
foreign producers will be contested with the old spirit and the old 
success.—W. 
ONION CULTURE AND MASTERING THE 
MAGGOT. 
I DID not intend joining in the discussion in the Journal of 
Horticulture respecting the destruction of the Onion maggot, as I 
had previously detailed my routine of culture, and which I adhere 
to for securing a good, sound, clean crop of Onions annually. 
However, it is always interesting and instructive to read of the 
success or failures of other people, and I shall be glad if I can 
help anyone in obtaining a good crop of Onions in spite of the 
maggot. 
Mr. J. J. Craven (page 235) asks me to describe the routine I 
should adopt if I were circumstanced as growers are in his 
district. My reply is, that I should follow the methods I have 
practised without a failure in different parts of the country for 
fourteen years, and if by chance I did not succeed in Mr. Craven’s 
district, I should apply such further remedies as I considered 
necessary, and as I observe he is doing in order to secure success. 
I never crop the same piece of ground two years in succession 
with Onions, or any other crop for the matter of that. My Onion 
beds go the whole round of the garden quarters in due course. I 
advocate deep cultivation of the soil ; in fact, one-half of the 
kitchen garden here is bastard trenched annually, and the next 
