FOR PROFIT. 7 



return conveyance as empties, are sold at the stations 

 at prices ranging from i^d. to sd. The adoption of 

 this system should be of immense advantage to fruit 

 growers and consumers 



Home Orchards.— Beyond culture for profit we 

 would strongly advocate that every farm house should 

 possess a selection of useful fruit trees for supplying 

 its own household, preferably a spot near the house 

 and in plantation rather than orchard form, when the 

 trees gain in size the surplus fruit would probably 

 pay for all expenses of culture and rent. — (See diagram 

 in Chapter III. on " setting out.") 



A Word for Beginners. — It frequently happens 

 that those about to begin the culture of fruit are 

 confounded by the mass of information they collect, 

 and we would advise them to consult but one good 

 authority, and act upon such advice ; and further, as a 

 plantation will not at once produce crops, any 

 information as to marketing, and places of disposal 

 need not be considered until required, as at starting 

 all energy is needed to ensure careful planting, and 

 keeping the land clean and in good working order; 

 but proximity to a railway is desirable, though many 

 Kent growers send five to seven miles to a station 

 daily. 



Looked at socially, fruit growing is a very important 

 gain for the labouring classes. Girls and women do a 

 great portion of the picking, thus supplementing the 

 wages earned by the men and boys of a family. 

 Many widows with families thus keep themselves in 

 Kent, assisted by the hopping and the work among 

 the hops ; and except in wet weather, when of course 

 little can be picked, it is not laborious work, and is 



