FOR PROFIT. gg 



district for Strawberries is probably that near St. Mary 

 Cray and Swanley, in Kent, where the culture assumes 

 enormous proportions. I note in the visit of the Lord 

 Mayor to the district lately, that one grower is said 

 to have as many as 2,000 acres, and that, besides 300 

 tons of fresh fruit sent to Liverpool, he made 60 tons 

 of jam per week. — (Gardeners' Chronicle). 



There are many others who do an equally extensive 

 trade in that locality, and the reason for this is pro- 

 bably : because formerly in that district there was much 

 poor woodland, which the tenants were allowed to 

 grub and bring into fruit culture at a nominal rent, 

 which would be eminently suitable for the purpose, 

 as deep steam cultivation, upheaval of the roots, etc., 

 would form a good fresh natural basis, combined with 

 the humus of the soil, upon which to start new planta- 

 tions of Strawberries ; the cheapness of London manure, 

 and its ready means of transit by rail, have also aided 

 culture, and of course the same rails (S.E., Orpington, 

 and C. and D., Swanley) could take the fruit to market, 

 while the distance from Covent Garden and the Borough 

 London Markets, and other centres of distribution, was 

 not too great to allow of road carriage, though many 

 prefer to send their own vans ready loaded to the 

 local station, and forward them by rail, transferring 

 them with their own horses from the terminus direct 

 to the salesmen, but of late years by motor lorries. 

 The soil of the " Cray " district is eminently suitable 

 for fruit culture, being light, and more or less mixed 

 with stones and flints ; but the main secret of success 

 is the heavy manuring given to the land with every 

 crop, and the intelligent culture bestowed. Sir Joseph 

 Paxton is still a favourite sort, and it possesses all 



