Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, MAY 19, 1896. European Gardeners.

Manawatu Herald, 19 May 1896, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, MAY 19, 1896. European Gardeners.

From time to time an outburst at Ohinaee gardening takes plaoe in Wellington by European fruiterers, and then meetings are held to iorm all sorts of combinations so that the population of Wellington shall cease to buy from Chinamen and purchase instead from Europeans. These outcries are getting ridiculous as no real effort is made, and judging from the sample of the unemployed whom it is supposad would be only too pleased to garden if they had the land, no successful effort will be made. We uotica that our contemporary the Post suggests that the wealthier citizens should find money to get land on which a trial at market gardening could be made. We should reoommend no such outlay, aa growing vegetable! requires knowledge as much as farming, if

flok more, and it is only courting failure to start simple labourers upon land to undersell the heathen Chihoe. If a veal tflal U desired it would be much better to prevail on the Go vernment to make some use of the land at Levin now styled a State Farm. High class farming is as much a lost art there as high cilasa market gardening is amorist the majority ot Europeans, and anything that might justify its existence a little longer should bo tried. When the public do find out the number of adults dwelling on the farm, the number of children they own, the few cows that they milk, and the little return from gracing or dropping received tor the large outlay of public money, they will realise the costly folly of the whole business. Gardening is in the same position as anyother business, capital is required, and a mnn wirhont a cent would starve in cultivating iaud wuiisc waitiug fur his ciups. To lend money oQ a security of such a risky nature as growing vegetables would not be entertained except at ruinous interest, and thus we do not see how the unemployed would be directly benefited by starting even a co operative market garden. When we view the subject from a farmer's point of view, that is, of a man with a little capital, then tho great troub'e has to be faced, that of suitable labour. It must be know that to keep a garden in fn-st- class trim a deal of labour requires being done in dewy morn and later eve, at hours our eight hours men object to work. Those who will fairly speak out what they know of casual labour admit) work of this kind is very hazardous both from bting unable to get the labour at the time most needed, and secondly getting labour of any use for that especial work. There is no doubt the citizens of Wellington might valuably assist Europeans by purchasing from them but they seem as much afflicted in desiring cheap goods as Chinamen are credited with in desiring cheap labour. There is a capital opening for an energetic person in introducing the producers in the country to the consumers in town. The rail service secures prompt despatch, and even a lady who had many friends in the city, could take notes of their wants in the shape of fruit, vegetables, poultry, pork, eggs, and butter, &c, and then visit the country and by personal inspection recommend their growths and manufactures, each side allowing a small commission. This plan does not do away with a middleman, but by putting him or her in the position to do business without capital and without a shop, enables him or her to make a charge light in proportion. We know of cases where this plan is being worked in a small way and we cannot see why it could not be enlarged to advantage.