CALSTOCK AND ST. DOMINICK 93 



ripening by the thinness of the soil on the under- 

 lying rock. 



Cherries, plums, and apples are the chief fruit- 

 trees grown, but the bulk of the land is devoted to 

 bush fruits, especially strawberries. These are for 

 the most part planted on the upper part of the 

 slopes, where they ripen rapidly on the thin rocky 

 soil, whereas the raspberries and black currants are 

 planted lower in the valleys, where the soil is richer 

 and deeper. 



An average of 75 to 100 tons of raspberries are 

 despatched every year, representing in value about 

 1,500 to 2,000, 75 per cent, of which goes to the 

 grower. 



Two tons to the acre is an average crop, and 22 

 a ton an average price for seven years. The cost of 

 picking would amount to about 25 per cent, of this 

 sum. 



About 200 tons of strawberries leave Beers Alton 

 Station alone during the season, which only repre- 

 sents a part of the crop grown. At an average 

 price of 20 a ton, this represents a value of 4,000. 



History of the Development of Fruit- 

 growing in the District. 



The pioneer of this fruit trade was Mr. J. W. 

 Lawry, a native of St. Dominick. He was brought 

 up on a farm of 90 acres, and succeeded his father 

 as tenant in 1866. In 1862 he was up in London 

 for the Exhibition, and paid a visit early one 



