FRUIT CULTURE FOR PROFIT. 415 



clever men engaged in fruit-growing as in any other 

 business in this country, and although such make good 

 profits, they do not make large fortunes. On the other 

 hand, the pessimists, discouraged by the variation of 

 climate, facilities of foreign transport, and what they 

 consider unlimited competition, and the frequent dis- 

 appointments arising from various causes some of which 

 they might have foreseen and controlled throw up the 

 game in despair. Unfortunately, the abuse of our climate 

 is often favourably received by Englishmen ; but for some 

 sorts of fruit it is not, in my judgment, so bad as it 

 seems. It is less favourable than some in certain points, 

 but more favourable in others. Then foreign transport 

 is costly, and competition in good fruit is by no means 

 unlimited. With good cultivation there is no fear of over 

 production ; it is trie indifferent fruit which gluts the 

 market. 



I have read not perhaps quite all but the greater part 

 of the recent writings and utterances on this subject, and a 

 great deal on the fruit culture of the past, but I do not 

 depend on that solely for the statements I shall put before 

 you, but to extensive reading combined with more than 

 forty years' experience in the study and cultivation of fruit 

 trees in this country. I may perhaps be excused for 

 saying that when 16 years old I had charge of an orchard 

 belonging to my father. That orchard was partly experi- 

 mental planted with all the best kinds, to prove which 

 sorts were most suitable for the district, and the best 

 flavoured and partly a market orchard, consisting of sorts 

 already proved. Although my allotted duties were simply 

 to note the bearing qualities of the different sorts, and 

 overlook the packing for market, my boyish activities 

 were not bounded by these duties. There was not an 

 apple, or a pear, a cherry, or a plum, a gooseberry, or 

 a strawberry, that I did not test the flavour of over 

 and over again, and note my judgment of, for future 

 use. There were many visitors to that orchard, and I 



