6 THE BOOK OF MARKET GARDENING 



mainly upon the situation, the soil, and the local demand. 

 The question is too large and involved to be entered 

 upon here, but it is an absolute fact that on many estates 

 such a scheme could be partially adopted with advantage 

 to both owners and tenants. In special districts which 

 have proved to be fitted for fruit and market gardening 

 generally, the rents obtained at the present time vary 

 from 30s. up to £50 per acre, for plots ranging from 

 10 acres downwards, the last-named extraordinary 

 rent being that charged on small town plots of garden 

 ground which have been under cultivation for hundreds 

 of years. Yet, with a rental of over 6s. per square rod, 

 occupiers have proved that, taking a series of years, they 

 sold enough produce (fruit chiefly) to pay their rent, 

 besides supplying themselves with what was required. 

 In one case this was considerable, because the tenant held 

 a restaurant in the town. To purchase the tenant-right 

 of such land requires an enormous capital, and we 

 know small holders who have obtained for well planted 

 fruit land from ^50 upwards per acre under the Evesham 

 system. For larger areas similarly planted from £100 

 to £200 per acre is asked. One plantation in the home 

 counties, comprising 50 acres, was recently offered at 

 ^10,000, or £200 per acre. 



The Channel Islands afford a good illustration of how 

 greatly the value of land in special situations is increased 

 under horticultural methods. Mr A. Collinette, F.C.S., 

 stated before the British Dairy Farmers' Association 

 recently that the value of land per acre in Guernsey 

 was as follows : — 



Poor Land, £80. 



Good farm land, £ loo to £l$o. 



Land on horticultural estates, £l$o — £3°°- 



Extreme prices lately realised (actual sale values), 



£5°°— £ 6o °- 



