CHAPTER VII 



ARRANGEMENT OF A FRUIT GARDEN 

 The Cottager's Fruit Garden. 



IT may hardly be supposed that the cottager or the 

 amateur is likely to devote the whole of his ground to 

 fruit culture, although a large number could do this with 

 benefit to the community and to themselves. It must 

 be stated that the extent to which fruit growing is carried 

 out in this country by the working classes is considerably 

 less than it might be. It is most unfortunate (and is 

 chronicled here in order to draw public attention to 

 the matter) that where houses are being built in rural 

 districts the amount of garden allotted to each cottage 

 is indeed very small, and in some cases is no larger than 

 that enjoyed by the town dweller. This happens where 

 land for agricultural purposes is very cheap. It must 

 be said, with all due deference to the opinions of others, 

 that this action on the part of landowners, tending to 

 restrict, or altogether annul, the cultivating power of 

 the cottager is highly reprehensible, and is nothing 

 short of a national danger. The present condition 

 of our laws does not empower interference, but our 

 land laws, be it remembered, are by no means immutable. 

 This being no place for politics, the matter had better 

 be left for the reader's own meditation. Meanwhile we 

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