The estimated selling value of the total production of crop!
grown in the 2,725 acres of glasshouses in England and Wales if
1925 was about £4,800,000. Tomatoes are by far the most
important crop, nearly all the returns including some quantity
of this crop. On the basis of the distribution of output as show?
in the returns received, the yield of tomatoes in 1925 was estimate
at about 47,000 tons, valued at £2,350,000; of cucumbers almost
50 millions, valued at £750,000; and of grapes 1,500,000 Ibs:
valued at £130,000; other fruit and vegetables being estimated
at £250,000. Chrysanthemums, roses and carnations wert
valued at £200,000, £250,000 and £85,000 respectively, and
including other cut flowers, bedding or decorative plants, &c-
the estimated total value of flowers, etc., grown under glass wa
about £1,350,000. These are only approximate estimates and
afford merely a rough indication of the importance of variou
crops grown under glass.
Information was also sought on the special inquiry forms
regarding the numbers of workers employed in glasshouses ant
it seems probable that there is a total of roughly 18,000 worker
regularly employed in glasshouses in England and Wales.
The average value of the output per acre as shown by the
returns was £1,770, but there were appreciable variations from
district to district. Essex and Hertford, which include the
greater part of the Lea Valley area, had an average output of
£1,890 per acre, and West Sussex, which includes the Worthing
area, as much as £2,220. Middlesex returned £1,590 worth ©
produce per acre under glass, Kent £1,275 and Lancashire £1,625
The cropping of glasshouses varied considerably in these
districts. In Essex and Hertford about 60 per cent. of the total
value of the output was in the form of tomatoes, 15 per cent
cucumbers and 15 per cent. flowers, mainly roses, leaving about
10 per cent. for other crops. In West Sussex about 20 per cent
of the value of the output was in the form of grapes, and 30 pe!
cent. cucumbers, with less than 25 per cent. tomatoes. Thi
area also had 15 per cent. of its output as flowers, the great bulk
being chrysanthemums. Mushrooms and beans were also grow!’
in appreciable quantities. Middlesex had about 40 per cent. ©’
its output as tomatoes, about 15 per cent. cucumbers, 5 pel
cent. grapes, 5 per cent. forced vegetables, mint, etc., anc
35 per cent. flowers and plants. The cropping in Kent was
fairly similar to that of Middlesex, about 65 per cent of thé
output being fruit and vegetables (tomatoes accounted for abou!
45 per cent., cucumbers 10 per cent., and grapes and strawberrie
about 5 per cent. each), and flowers and plants accounted fo
35 per cent. Lancashire had the largest proportion of flower*
of these counties, with 40 per cent., and plants accounted fo
15 per cent., leaving only 45 per cent. for fruit and vegetables
of which tomatoes accounted for about 35 per cent., cucumber
5 per cent. and lettuce 5 per cent.