FRUIT GROWING 49 



rural England might be glad and happy once 

 more. I allude to an organised system of An 



i i T i i Agricultural 



Agricultural rost ; this, to commence with, Post 

 might be looked upon as a glorified parcels 

 post, which has been so very successful. It 

 would seem, however, that much time and 

 expense could be saved to the producer if the 

 Post - Office vans could collect the produce 

 daily, if not from door to door, at receiving 

 offices in small areas, and that these offices 

 should have scales for the public to use, and 

 room to put things down, instead of the little 

 crowded shops which so often now have to 

 do duty for local Post-Offices. Of course the 

 Government would have to pay more liberally 

 than they do, but why not ? The dignity of 

 such a Department as the Post-Office might 

 surely be maintained at a higher level than 

 at present, especially in regard to the manners 

 of the clerks and assistants ! No doubt the 

 outlay would be very heavy at first, but if 

 this Agricultural Post indirectly led to the 

 re-population of the rural districts, surely it 



VI. 



