'844 



Small Holdings in Essex. 



[Dec, 



Recent observations concerning the prices obtained by 



growers for dessert apples when properly graded and packed, 



. » in comparison with similar fruit marketed 

 FriCGs of 



. , in the more usual way, have brought out 



AT3 13168 • 



' some facts which illustrate the profitable- 



ness of the better method. 



A record crop of Worcester Pearmains, grown in Gloucester- 

 shire, was sent to Manchester and Birmingham markets in the 

 British Standard boxes containing 40 lb. of fruit. The average 

 price per box including first and second grade fruit so marketed 

 was 15s. 



Some pots of the same variety and quality, but ungraded and 

 loose, were sent to the Cheltenham Fruit Market in the ordinary 

 way. The price realised for these was 6s, Bd. per 56-lb. pot, 

 or Ifd. per lb., compared with 4^d. per lb. obtained in the other 

 markets for the boxed fruit. 



Even when the supply of box wood had run out and a con- 

 signment was sent in 56-lb. wickers, well graded and properly 

 packed, to the salesman who had sold the boxes, the price con- 

 tinued to be 4Jd. per lb., or 21s. per pot. The salesman pointed 

 out that the excellent prices were maintained solely because 

 the grower's reliable packing was already known in the market. 



***** 



In connection with the Farm Competitions organised by the 



Essex Agricultural Society, with a view to improving cultivation 



« 11 TT ij- and stimulating production on farms and 

 Small Holdings , ^.^ ^ , 



. ° small holdings m Essex, several prizes, 



m Essex. ^..^^^^^ ^ ^ g^^,^^^^ ^ 



President of the Society, were offered this year for the best cul- 

 tivated County Council Small Holdings. There would appear to 

 have been keen competition for the prizes. Thirty-three small- 

 holders entered in the class for holdings under 15 acres, and 

 forty-one for that limited to small holdings over that acreage. 

 Five prizes were awarded in each class, and in addition thirteen 

 entrants who came just below prize merit were " commended," 

 one being highly commended." 



In the course of some general remarks on the holdings 

 inspected and on the work of the Small Holdings Committee, the 

 judges made th? following observations : — 



" With regard to the land acquired by the Committee for 

 "Small Holdings, we were most favourably impressed with its 

 quality and suitability for the purpose. In these respects the 



