Agriculture i43 



and flower growing are in the hands of small-holders, quite a number of 

 whom cultivate less than one acre, and as the available statistics do not 

 include these small units, it is diiFicult to arrive at a reasonable estimate of 

 the total acreage and production of these crops. One interesting feature 

 of these comparatively new developments is the growth in the number 

 of carriers and commission agents, who collect, arrange transport for, and 

 sometimes bulk, the marketable produce. 



Strawberries are the most important soft fruit in the area. The greater 

 proportion of the 4000 odd acres is grown in die Isle around Wisbech. In 

 the County the bulk of this fruit comes from small growers in the 

 Cottenham, Willingham, and Histon districts. Varieties in favour are 

 Royal Sovereign, Sir Joseph Paxton, Oberschehen, and Brenda Gautrey. 

 Gooseberries still take second place in point of acreage, even though there 

 has been a considerable falling off" in the past few years. Black and red 

 currants and raspberries were also widely grown at one time, but their 

 cultivation is now confined to a few of the smallest holdings. 



A feature of the last decade has been the development of btdb growing 

 in the Wisbech district and of the culture of flowers, e.g. pyrethrums, 

 scabious and outdoor chrysanthemums, in the Cottenham, WiUingham, 

 and Fordham areas. Here and there, too, nurseries have been estabhshed 

 for the raising of fruit trees and shrubs. 



A number of growers has recently erected glasshouses for the produc- 

 tion of tomatoes, bulbs, forced mint, and indoor chrysanthemums, and 

 though production has not yet reached large figures, development in this 

 line is taking place steadily year by year. 



Recendy the Land Setdement Association has acquired two estates in 

 Cambridgeshire and these have been equipped for the production of 

 certain fruits and vegetables both indoors and under glass. 



Over 10,000 acres are planted with top fruit, plums predoininating in 

 the County and apples in the Isle. On the whole, the climate is not all that 

 might be desired, especially for apples, because the high winds and late 

 frosts occasionally cause serious reductions in the crop yields. River's 

 Early, Czar, Victoria, and Monarch are the more common varieties of 

 plums; and of apples, most of which at present are of the cooking varieties, 

 Bramley Seedhng is a favourite, though Emneth Early was more popular 

 in the old days. There is now a slow but steady change from culinary to 

 dessert apples. An important area of fruit (particularly greengages) is to be 

 found in the parishes of Melbourn and Meldreth, and other scattered 

 areas of top fruit occur on the chalk sods in the south of the County, 

 and on the gravels, peats, and skirt-soils near Burwell, Exning, and 

 Fordham, apart from the larger areas around Cottenliam, Histon, 

 Rampton, WiUingham and Wisbech. 



