WHO CAN GROW FRUIT PROFITABLY? 17 



The wonderfully rapid developments of the American 

 apple trade, and of the Spanish melon and tomato 

 trades during the past ten years, seem to justify one in 

 stretching his imagination to its fullest extent, in 

 attempting to forecast the possibilities of the expansion 

 in the demand for our home-grown fruits during the 

 next twenty years. 



Hitherto it has been the tempting supplies that have 

 created the increased demand in London and other large 

 cities, etc. And there are hundreds of towns where the 

 regular supply of fruit is meagre, and miserably small 

 and poor ; and where, if the supply for the next ten 

 years were to be doubled every two or three years, 

 there would be ready buyers for all that was offered of 

 tempting quality, and in due rotation, so as to keep up 

 a regular supply of all the best sorts in their season, all 

 the year round. Intermittent supplies are less remunera- 

 tive than when they are regular and dependable, as 

 there is not encouragement enough for competition, and 

 for the establishment of retail shops, as there is in large 

 cities, with good wholesale markets near at hand. 



