A HISTORY OF BUCKINGHAMSHIRE 



With the exception of the orchards in the Slough district, there 

 is not much to be said of the general culture of fruit. The orchard 

 on the vast majority of farms exhibits the same neglect that one has 

 come to expect from their treatment in the country generally. Few 

 young trees are planted ; and, if they are, they are seldom cared for, 

 while the old trees are left alone. The soil is not, as a rule, naturally 

 adapted for apples and pears, and their growth is seldom satisfactory, but 

 cherries and all stone fruit thrive on the chalk. The cherry orchards of 

 Cookham are a delightful sight, both in blossom and fruit time, and 

 form one of the sights of the county. 



Among the extra crops of the farm lucerne is but sparsely grown. 

 Sainfoin is, however, very largely cultivated and thrives remarkably well 

 in most years with very little assistance. Admirable both as hay and 

 pasture, it is hard to over-estimate its value. 



The farmers' chief vegetable pests are docks and couch grass, men- 

 tioned above, charlock, which seems inseparable from chalk lands, and 

 the scarlet poppy, known in Suffolk as ' canker,' which is very con- 

 spicuous on many of the hot gravels. Of animal pests, rats and mice 

 cause much damage to corn, both in stacks and barns, and seem to be 

 increasing. Sparrows cause very serious loss in harvest time, while the 

 blackbird does great damage to the fruit growers. 



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