64 THE EVESHAM DISTRICT 



If thoroughly manured, the beds would last 

 much longer. Some beds which have been so 

 treated (not in this district) are known to have 

 been in cut for considerably more than fifty years, 

 and are cropping well still. 



To give a few examples of typical holdings : 

 One man now holding 13 acres had started as an 

 agricultural labourer with 4 acres of dirty land in 

 poor condition. For years he had had a hard 

 struggle, but was now doing well, and held 13 acres 

 in three different lots, which he cultivated with the 

 help of three grown-up sons. His original 4-acre 

 lot, on which he had himself worked as a labourer 

 when it was farm land, was planted with rows of 

 plums with red currants and gooseberries under- 

 neath. One strawberry bed had cabbage planted 

 between the rows, and on another with first-year 

 plants they were pulling radishes ; and after picking 

 the fruit, would sow two rows of spring-onions 

 between each row of strawberries. 



Rows of peas well up had marrows planted 

 between, each under its own glass cone, a simple 

 device formed by laying a piece of glass over a 

 circular metal hoop which raised it off the plant. 



There was celery in frames ready to prick out, 

 and seed-beds of broccoli plants. He kept a horse 

 and dray, and carted a load of produce to the 

 station every day. He sold the bulk of his stuff to 

 commission agents in Manchester. Whatever the 

 struggle may have been in earlier years, he was 

 now evidently doing very well, and the holding 



