452 APPENDIX. 



on, are certainly preferred to those that come from 

 Belgium or the Channel Islands. By the end of April, 

 1907, and at the beginning of May, they were even sold 

 at 2s. and 4s. the pound. The best and largest grapes 

 for the dinners are evidently fetching fancy prices. 



But at last the Hamburg grapes, which were late 

 in 1907 and 1908, began to arrive from Belgium, the 

 Channel Islands, and England, and the prices suddenly 

 fell. By the end of May the Belgian Hamburgs fetched 

 only from lOd. to Is. 4d. the pound, and the prices were 

 still falling. In June and July the gardeners could only 

 get from 5d. to 7d., and during the months of Septem- 

 ber, October, and November, 1908, the best Guernsey 

 grapes were quoted at 6d. the pound. Very beautiful 

 ones fetched only 4d. the pound. 



It was only in the first days of November that the 

 prices went up to lOd. and Is. Id. But already, in the 

 second half of December, the new crop of Colmars 

 began to pour in from Belgium, and the prices fell to 

 9d., and even to 6d. per pound about Christmas. 



We thus see that, notwithstanding a great demand 

 for the best hothouse grapes, with big grains and 

 quite fresh cut, these grapes are sold in the autumn 

 almost at the same prices as grapes grown under the 

 beautiful sun of the south. 



As to the quantities of grapes imported to this 

 country, the figures are also most instructive. The 

 average for the three years 1905-1907 was 81,700,000 

 Ibs., representing a value of 2,224,500. 



T. THE USE OF ELECTKICITY IN 

 AGRICULTURE. 



In the first editions of this book I did not venture 

 to speak about the improvements that could be ob- 



