A LUCRATIVE TRADE. 15 



prosper well. In the cottage gardens around also, 

 currant trees prosper equally, whilst nearly all hedgerow 

 banks abound with blackberries. Here, then, fruit 

 would surely grow very profitably under cultivation. 

 Plums and damsons would thrive to perfection where 

 the sloe abounds, and in fact, all sorts of stone fruit 

 generally grow well in the gardens around. 



Such safe fruits as damsons and other prolific and 

 hardy trees of the plum tribe should be planted largely 

 in those districts. In other parts of Essex, on poor soil 

 that has never been worth over 10s. per acre for wheat, 

 such favourite dessert apples as the " Yellow Ingestrie " 

 and " King of the Pippins " thrive well, and supply the 

 best quality. If the small holdings can be secured on 

 long leases there is, therefore, abundant reason to plant 

 hardy fruit trees (after the soil has been well prepared 

 for receiving them), in all such districts as these within 

 thirty miles of London, or other large cities. 



