Market Gardening

Since the establishment of extensivo truck farms in the south, and the greal celery fields in Michigan and Ohio, the market gardens of the north have in some respecta been injuriously affecte by the competition. However, the greater supply of fresh vegetables, through a greater period of the year, has materially increased consumption, especially in thq smaller towns and cities. The occasional oversupply and consequent low price give even the very poorest people an opportunity to pnrchase vegetables othér than potatoes and cabbage, and so in the end the local market gardener's trade is increased, although he must accept lower prices than he has received in former years. His profits mnst come through a better knowledge of his business that will enable him to produce larger and better crops at less cost, yet, as the greatest yield can only come f rom land heavily enriched and thoroughly prepared, there must be a considerable investment at the outset. Gardeners within access of a city water supply avail themselves of this ineans for irrigation as occasion may require, wliile others use windmills and tanks, but are seldoni able to irrigate as fully as required in a hot, dry ;ime when water is most needed. In some of the larger gardens, where ex;reme drought for two or three weeks might mean the loss of thousands of dolars, steam pumps and fnll irrigation )lants have been constructed at great expense. Thus the most complete crops are assured and these gardens are turnng out prodncts far beyond anything ever thought of by our gardeners of tonner generations.