SECTION XVI 

 Fruit Growing in Worcestershire 



South Worcestershire at the present time probably is unequalled for 

 the extent of commercial gardening in proportion to the total area of 

 land comprised within a radius of 10 ml. of Evesham which is the 

 centre of this important industry in Worcestershire or for the excellence 

 in quality and quantity of the crops of fruit and vegetables produced; 

 and the district probably more than any other may properly receive 

 the title of "The Garden of England". 



Sixty years ago probably not more than 500 ac. of land was devoted 

 to market gardening near Evesham; the area now cultivated for that 

 purpose within a radius of 10 ml. of the town is estimated at upwards 

 of 15,000 ac. This is easily understood when annually several hundreds 

 of acres of land are newly added to that already under market-garden 

 culture; and new men among whom are young men with public -school 

 education as frequently devote themselves and their fortunes (large and 

 small) to this frequently profitable enterprise. Moreover, there are many 

 industrious, shrewd, and steady men who were originally labourers work- 

 ing for others and cultivating an allotment for themselves, who now are 

 fully developed market gardeners, owners of house property, and generally 

 well-to-do men. Not the least successful among the best-known market 

 gardeners are men who were previously builders, masons, and clerks. 



The pioneers of market gardening were men of well-known names, 

 the best-known being Myatt, Masters, Field, Cole, and Byrd. Mr. Myatt 

 came from the neighbourhood of Camberwell, where he had a market 

 garden, and the writer believes that district is still known as Myatt's 

 Fields. He was the raiser of many standard varieties of vegetables and 

 Strawberries, including " Early Offenham Cabbage ", than which practically 

 no other variety is grown in Worcestershire for market purposes. His 

 son, Mr. Charles Myatt, of Harvington, 3 ml. from Evesham, follows in 

 his father's footsteps, and annually grows and sells much seed of this 

 unsurpassed market gardener's Spring Cabbage. Two other good stan- 

 dard varieties of vegetables did Mr. James Myatt raise, viz. "Myatt's 

 Early Prolific" Potato and "Myatt's Victoria" Rhubarb; new varieties of 

 potatoes and rhubarb come and go, but Myatt's varieties are still with 



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