30 Commercial Gardening 



PeaPS are much less grown than Apples in the district of Evesham, 

 which includes all within a radius of 10 ml. But planters are feeling 

 their way with regard to suitable varieties for the purpose; bush trees 

 being chiefly planted. The most suitable varieties appear to be Pit- 

 maston Duchess, Williams' Bon Chretien, Clapp's Favourite, Doyenne 

 d'Ete, Doyenne du Cornice, Beurre Glairgeau, Beurre d'Amanlis, and 

 Marie Louise d'Uccle. 



Gooseberries constitute another important fruit crop in the district. 

 It is estimated that 1000 ac. are grown, largely as an " undercrop " to the 

 Plums, being planted beneath and between the trees; but many are also 

 grown in the open. They are planted in rows about 6 ft. apart and 

 about 5 ft. apart in the rows. The pruning mainly consists of thinning 

 out the branches which are too close, and slightly shortening the young 

 growth if it be more than 8 or 9 in. in length. Occasionally this crop 

 realizes a very high price, but the average may be taken as about 45 

 per acre. 



The varieties chiefly grown are Keepsake, Whinham's Industry, White- 

 smith, Crown Bob, Lancashire Lad, and Berry's Early Kent; but the 

 typical Evesham man tries all new varieties of fruit and vegetables which 

 promise improvement upon older varieties. 



Strawberries. These are an important crop in the southern part of 

 the county. It is estimated that there are about 2000 ac. of Strawberries 

 grown in this large district; but it is difficult to obtain an approximately 

 correct estimate. They are usually grown in the breadths between the 

 Plum trees, but many are grown in the open, especially in the outlying 

 districts. The Strawberries are usually planted in rows 3 ft. apart, and 

 the plants 20 in. apart in the rows. 



During the first year the Strawberries occupy the ground a catch crop 

 of some kind is taken from between the rows. If the Strawberries be 

 planted in autumn the catch crop may be either Spring Cabbage or early 

 Lettuce; if planted in spring, a crop of Runner Beans kept dwarf, French 

 Beans, or Dwarf Peas may be taken. The Evesham gardeners do not 

 trouble about summer or autumn Cabbage; they do not pay. 



For the second and subsequent years the ordinary routine is adopted, 

 viz. forking lightly between the rows after the clearance of weeds and 

 runners, then strawing between the rows in spring just before the flowering 

 period. 



The crop is sent to market mainly in handled baskets of 6 Ib. each, and 

 in flat boxes containing 12 Ib. each; the former largely predominate. The 

 varieties grown are chiefly Royal Sovereign, Sir Joseph Paxton, Monarch, 

 Stirling Castle (for jam), and Bedford Champion. 



The village of Catshill is in the district of North Bromsgrove and 

 lies at the foot of the Licky Hills, which are about 10 miles south of 

 Birmingham. It is a populous village, and up to about 1888 the whole 

 adult population was engaged in making wrought nails. Machinery de- 

 prived many of employment, and the village seemed to be on the verge 



