94 MAULDEN 



hours' benefit. The land is clean and well 

 kept. Artificial manures are tahooed, London 

 manure heing used in large quantities, as much 

 as twenty to thirty tons being put down in 

 some years to the acre. 



A general survey suggests a splendid know- 

 ledge of the crops grown ; but many crops 

 could be successfully cultivated which would 

 yield a vastly higher return. As has 

 been said, the soil and climate is admirably 

 suited for fruit and flowers, but their value is 

 practically unrecognized. In the case of the 

 smaller occupiers the custom of the country 

 and lack of knowledge is the obvious explana- 

 tion. But in the case of the larger — thirty to 

 forty acre holdings — a more intensive cultiva- 

 tion would involve a greater capital outlay per 

 acre than the small-holder probably possessed 

 on occupation, which may in part account for 

 their not attempting a closer method of 

 cropping. Under a system of tenancy no 

 market-gardener dares " stretch himself." 

 They had been tenants before, either under a 

 County Council or under a landlord. This 

 was their first opportunity of acquiring a 

 holding freehold on reasonable terms. The 



