1921.] 



Horticulture in Penzance. 



745 



HORTICULTURE IN THE PENZANCE 

 AREA OF CORNWALL. 



G. P. Berry, 

 Ministry of Agriculture. 



The Penzance district may be generally described as devoted 

 to early potato and broccoli culture. Although a certain amount 

 of general vegetable and fruit growing is carried on it is not 

 sufl&eient even to supply the local needs in the summer months 

 during the visitors' season, and the bulk of the early vegetables 

 other than potatoes and broccoli, comes from other districts. 



Early Potatoes and Broccoli. — These are mainly confined to 

 the neighbourhood of Penzance, embracing the townships of 

 Marazion, Gulval, Newlyn, Paul, Mousehole, Ludgvan and 

 Hea Moor. The holdings are small and consist of a series of 

 fields or small enclosures surrounded by stone walls or hedges; 

 for the most part they are situated on the slopes facing south, 

 and the cropping is carried on from sea-level up to about 300 

 feet. Wind is the disturbing factor in the climate, and without 

 shelter it is impossible to get good results with any crop which 

 *the small holder may grow. Occasionally frost is sufficientlv 

 severe to check the early potatoes, and in the last week of 

 April, 1921, some damage was done in the low-lying places. 

 The annual rainfall is about 40 inches, and in 1920 it was 

 46.84 inches. Extremes of drought are experienced in some 

 seasons, and the early potato crop has been known to be planted 

 and lifted without the benefit of a good soaking rain. 



Considerable difliculty is experienced in obtaining a suitable 

 hedge plant which will both grow quickly and resist the spray. 

 At one time Elder {Samhuciis nigra) was largely used, but 

 recently this shrub, has been replaced to a considerable extent 

 by Eiionymus sp. There are indications also that the New 

 Zealand shrub Pittosporum crassifolium will grow well and 

 withstand the sea breezes. It is during the winter and early 

 spring that shelter is so essential, for the high temperature then 

 prevailing enables crops to make growth when in the south 

 generally they are dormant. 



Soils. — There is considerable variation in the Cornish soils, 

 but potato and broccoli culture is carried out on sandy loams, 

 varying from highly sandy soils in some places to soils of more 

 body in others, the stronger soils resembling the Lincolnshire 

 silts. The depth varies from about 9 inches on the shallower to- 



