CHAPTER V 

 A GLOUCESTERSHIRE FRUIT FARM 



No better example of what may be done in the way of 

 fruit culture on an exceptionally large scale could well 

 be desired than that which is offered by the orchards 

 on the Toddington Estate, Gloucestershire, once the 

 property of Lord Sudeley, and now belonging to 

 Mr. Hugh Andrews. 



The estate covers some 8,000 acres in a delightful 

 expanse of country that, geographically speaking, forms 

 a continuation of the Vale of Evesham. Its broad 

 stretches of extremely fertile land, well sheltered from 

 east winds, constitute an almost ideal spot for the 

 production of fruit, and this is especially the case as 

 regards those portions of the estate which are situated 

 on the slopes of the Cotswold hills, just above what is 

 locally known as * the frost line.' 



It was under these essentially favourable conditions 

 that Lord Sudeley started fruit-growing on an extensive 

 experimental scale many years ago, and the present 

 proprietor has continued and expanded the undertak- 

 ing with renewed energy and enterprise, watching 

 assiduously over its further development along strictly 

 commercial lines. 



Mr. Andrews is of opinion that the production of 

 fruit should be done on either a very small or a very 



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