1022]. Fruit Growing in Northern Counties. HIT 



The climate of Cumberland and Westmorland up to 700 and 

 800 ft. is quite suitable for all classes of small fruits and apples. 

 Travelling eastward into Northumberland across the Limestone 

 formation the Hexham area is reached, and where the Millstone 

 Grit and the Limestone formations meet, as around Hexham, an 

 ideal fruit soil is again produced. This blend extends past 

 Corbridge until the coal formation is again reached, and where 

 these meet as good a fruit soil is again produced. The Millstone 

 Grit and the Boulder Clay then extend up north with the heavier 

 soil on the east and the Millstone Grit on the west, until the 

 Morpeth district is reached. All along this stretch there are 

 unions of these formations producing narrow strips of good fruit- 

 growing soil. When the Morpeth district is passed the Millstone 

 Grit and the Boulder Clay are still side by side as far north as 

 Warkworth. The Limestone formation then appears and this 

 extends right up to the Scottish border. On the lower elevations 

 of the Limestone formation fruit can be successfully grown, 

 provided the necessary shelter can be obtained. 



Coming back south into Durham the same formation 'is con- 

 tinued, viz., the Boulder Clay and the Millstone Grit, and there 

 are portions where a good blend is again met with as at 

 Staindro.p, Raby, Barnard Castle, etc. There are also tracts of 

 alluvial soil in the valleys of the Wear and Tees which are suit- 

 able for fruit growing. 



In Yorkshire the Millstone Grit crops up in pockets amongst 

 the Limestone and produces suitable fruit-growing soils. 



Shelter. — This is one of the greatest factors in fruit growing 

 in the northern counties, and in most cases, unless the con- 

 figuration of the land rules otherwise, shelter is necessary on 

 the north, north-east and east. Much damage is done in the 

 north by the rays of the bright morning sun striking open 

 blossom. Protection from the south-west in summer and autumn 

 is also valuable where fruit is likely to be exposed to strong winds. 



In short, although the northern counties cannot be classed as 

 fruit-growing counties in the same sense as Kent, Cambridge, 

 Norfolk, Lincoln, Worcester and Hereford, there are many parts 

 where apples may be successfully grown, and as regards small 

 fruit, results can be obtained superior to those produced in the 

 south. The great drawback to small fruit in the south is the 

 extremes of climate with regard to rainfall. Prolonged droughts 

 occur and ruin the best prospects. These droughts are never 

 so severe in the north, while the night dews are heavier and the 

 general atmosphere more humid. 



