MARKET GARDENING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20827, 20 March 1931, Page 14

MARKET GARDENING.

Sir,—To successfully compete against the Asiatics in growing and selling vegetables is well nigh impossible, but I be- ' lieve it can be done. It is a popular - delusion to think Chinese can grow vegetables better than the European, The: opposite is true. A method of manuring practised by the Chinese is distasteful. and even unhygienic In Hongkong the c European hostess will herself wash the' vegetables for salad before her guests, so as to assure them that they are uncontaminated. An appeal td housewives such as your correspondents make is of little use, because so. many, have to practice strict economy in the task of balancing the weekly budget. Let the Europeans give as good, or even nearly as goo 3, sen' vice a? the Chinese and the majority of hQusewives will support them. My "own opinion is that -they should be joliy well" ashamed of themselves for not being able to it. - A.F, -

Sir, —May I have space to assure " A Pioneer Gardener *' that my sympathies are with him. It would give me much satisfaction to see a Bystem of marketing whereby the small holder would get moreadequate returns for his produce. . The people, too, ought to be able to get an abundance of cheaper fruit, I know our own gardeners can, an 3 do, produce good quality vegetables. I know, also, that, as in all branches of the industries of the land, it calls for knowledge, <iixperience and adaptability to get good results.: For these and other apparent reasons I believe that market gardening as a Stateaided scheme for the relief of unemployment would be doomed to failure. Pioneers' Daughter.