lune, 1900.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 445 
Agriculture. 
MARKET GARDENING. 
By A SUBURBAN AMATEUR. 
thas often been a source of wonder to me why the people of Brisbane and 
“ler cities of this land of rich soil, perfect climate, and easy means of com- 
‘nication with the surrounding farming districts should be dependent on the 
naman for a regular supply of vegetables. J therefore determined to investi- 
le the matter for myself. Having been one of the pioneer farmers of the 
tley Creek in the early sixties, when boatloads of vegetables were daily taken 
i risbane and sold readily in bulk at the market wharf on the North Quay, 
Hailed to see why the farmers did not continue a business which used to be a 
St lucrative one. I have very little land attached to my house near Milton, 
fd of that land I found I could only devote 14 perches to a vegetable garden. 
the soil consisted of a very gravelly loam. It contained so much gravel, 
d, that after a heavy shower quartz and shale could be raked off in 
htities. About a foot below this was a stiff yellow clay over a foot in 
mo resting on rock. In June, 1899, this patch was covered with stunted 
alo grass. I cleared off the grass, dug the land up to a fork’s depth and 
Mnured it heavily with well-rotted stable manure. In the centre of this 
Mtden T had a water-pipe which was supplied from Enoggera. I divided it 
‘0 seven beds, the largest of which measured 6 feet by 14 feet, and the 
‘illest 4 feet by 4 feet. The area of the land available for cultivation 
/ “sured 442 square feet, or as nearly as possible 14 perches. 
,, Having got the soil into good tilth by the middle of June, I sowed cabbage, 
tt luce, peas, Irench beans, butter beans, Madagascar beans, radishes, 
ots, and eschallots at a cost of 1s. 9d. for seed, the whole of which 
‘S not sown at once. Then I set out borders of mint, thyme, sage, 
‘tjoram, and parsley. A month later, in the middle of July, I planted 
he Some onions and leaf artichokes given to me by a farmer at West- 
, ok. In August, having still a little room, I planted a few potatoes in 
“ant spots, and set out tomato plants in a line with the fence. Tn 
}, tember, the cabbages and lettuces were ready for planting out, and I made 
a for these, and also sowed a few grain of corn to have some “ mealies” for 
ing. 
At the end of this month, afew more French beans were sown; also rock- 
Xe Ons, cucumbers, and a few rhubarb crowns. 
The land was now fully stocked, there was not a square foot unoceupied, 
fa on the 10th of August the returns began. From that date to the 22nd 
ney, 1900, a little over five months, the crops gathered were as follow :— 
y Ishes, 83 bunches ; onions, 17 lb.; butter beans, 103 lb. ; Madagascar beans,. 
fe potatoes, 10 Ib.; tomatoes, 69 Ib.; French beans, 543 Ib.; lettuce, 164; 
k bages, 30; cabbage plants, 300 ; carrots, SL bunches ; eschallots, 41 bunches ; 
2 22 pecks; artichokes, 43; cucumbers, 30; rock-melons, 3; rhubarb, 2 
“hes ; turnips (self-sown), 2 bunches ; quantity herbs. 
from 22nd January to 25th March, 1900, the returns were—Carrois, 6 
ye es; radishes, 5 bunches ; pumpkins (self-sown), 3 (14 1b.) ; tomatoes, 2 
. Yock-melons, 3; cucumbers, 9; cauliflower plants, 434; cabbage plants, 
”; butter beans, 4 Ib.; and a quantity of herbs. 
,, From 25th March to 25th May the returns were—Carrots, 27 bunches ; 
qyetess 14 bunches; rhubarb, 1 bunch; lettuce, 9; cabbages, 3 ; peas, 1 peck ; 
age plants, 225; cauliflower plants, 34; onion plants, 150. And the garden 
\ Sul stocked with well-grown carrots, turnips, yams, tomatoes, chili peppers, 
8, radishes, lettuce, peas, and a few onions. 
tl 
I lee 
