OF AGRICULTURE. 217 



this industry," Mr. Haggard adds, " was that the 

 population of Wisbech and the number of houses 

 in this little town have rapidly increased ; 

 the land has increased in value considerably in 

 the past twenty years, and as much as 200 an 

 acre had been given for choice land-holdings 

 suitable for fruit culture." (Rural England, 

 vol. ii., pp. 52, 54, 55.) In other words, the net 

 result of the labour spent by the farmers and of 

 the intelligent enterprise of the industrials was, 

 as everywhere, immensely to increase the value 

 of the land for the benefit of the landlords. 

 Mr. Haggard's conclusion is worth mention- 

 ing, as he writes as follows : " Broadly, however, 

 I may say that where the farms are large and 

 corn is chiefly grown, there is little or no pros- 

 perity, while where they are small and assisted 

 by pastures or fruit culture, both owners and 

 tenants are doing fairly well." * A recognition 

 well worth mentioning, as it comes from an 

 explorer who took at the outset of his inquest 

 a most pessimistic view on unprotected agri- 

 culture. 



I also ought to mention Essex, where fruit- 

 growing has taken of late a notable develop- 

 ment, and Hampshire, where the acreage under 

 fruit has trebled since 1880, according to the 



* Rural England, 2 vols., London (Longmans, Green), 1902, 

 vol. ii., p. 67. 



