vi PBEFATOm' XOTE. 



" ic/iij not go farther into the country^ icJiere there 

 is no risk from smoky factories f " 



" That icould appear to Ije the more sensible 

 thing to do : but there are so many ol)jections." 



^^ Such asf queried IValter. 



" The same thing as before — the high price of 

 land. Ecen in tite country — say well over one 

 hundred miles from London — you have to give 

 £50 an acre for land that is suitable for fruit- 

 growing^ and 1 have known instances quite re- 

 cently of land for that purpose fetching £80 per 

 acre, and that was over one hundred miles from 

 London'' 



" That does seem a tot of money,'' said Walter. 

 " But even then, would it not pay? " 



" / doubt it. The seasons are uncertain. 

 Almost every spri?ig frosts do damage. There 

 are many bird e?iemies. Bates and taxes are 

 increasing every year. The risks are too great 

 for the large amount of capital at stake." 



" Could you not rent land, then, instead of 

 buying it outright ? " 



" That wouldn't do," I rejoined. ^^ As my trees 

 began to yield, the landlord ivould be sure to 

 put up the rent. There would be no guarantee 

 against that, and no security of tenure either. I 

 might also be turned out of the place just when 

 it had reached its most prof table stage." 



