CHAPTER II. 



AN EXAMPLE OF SUCCESS OUT-DOORS. 



ONE of the most successful of Kentish fruit growers of 

 this century was an uneducated labouring man, who 

 went to the owner of some uncultivated furze land, and 

 asked at what rate he could hire an acre or two " of 

 them fuzzes." Having secured the poor stony soil, he, 

 thoroughly worked it, planted it with raspberries, and 

 with his wife's hoarded stocking store of small savings 

 he well manured it with London dung in early spring, 

 and thus secured a very profitable crop. He then, for 

 many years, went on increasing his holdings, till at his 

 death, he had become one of the largest growers of fruit 

 for the London jam makers, and each of his sons was 

 established on a good-sized farm at the same profitable 

 occupation. 



There are scores of men in the same district around 

 Bexley, who have in a similar way acquired positions of 

 independence by thus cultivating fruit or flowers for the 

 reeds of London, who started without any capital. 



As men set to work in earnest, and have confidence in 

 themselves, they will find that others will have con- 

 fidence in them also, and often give them a helping 

 hand, as they may require it, to tide over their first 

 difficulties. 



