WHERE SCIENCE COMES IN 305 



able to speak with certainty. To give two remarkable instances : 

 first, with regard to manures, doubts appear to exist as to the 

 effect of manures on fruit-trees, especially on apple-trees. . . _. The 

 other example of the inadequacy of our present knowledge is con- 

 cerned with an insect pest, known as the black-currant mite. The 

 ravages of this mite in recent years have been most serious ; 

 indeed, unless some remedy is found, there is danger that black- 

 currant growing may be extinguished in this country altogether. . . . 

 Great ignorance appears to exist as to the proper treatment of 

 trees. Far too few precautions are taken in many districts against 

 the ravages of diseases and insect pests, and pruning is frequently 

 either very badly done, or not done at all. 



Judging from this statement, the average ' out-of- 

 work ' from London or Manchester would have but a 

 poor chance of success as a small holder operating an 

 orchard ; while to start him straight off as a grower of 

 fruit, flowers, and early vegetables under glass would 

 be to court certain failure. 



Stock-raising, though not dealt with in detail in the 

 present volume, is an occupation that opens up wide 

 possibilities to small men as well as great ; and, by way 

 of illustrating those possibilities, I might mention that 

 in the autumn of 1905 a representative of the Hungarian 

 Government bought up 250 pigs in this country for 

 distribution throughout Hungary for breeding purposes, 

 consigning them via London and the Thames to Ghent, 

 whence they were taken by special train to Hungary. 

 The 250 pigs, however, were merely an instalment, the 

 total number actually required in Hungary to complete 

 the scheme in hand being 4,000. But it is animals of 

 choice breeds and perfect condition that the foreigner 

 wants to buy from us for reproductive purposes, and, 

 though small holders ought to have a good chance of 

 sharing in a lucrative business, there is evidently a 

 special call for intelligence on their part if they are to 

 supply what is wanted. Even poultry production on 

 lines that pay has developed into a science, while 

 poultry-fatting for the market is an art that, simple as 



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