88 



Small Holdings in Hampshire. [may, 



cannot be obtained for less than from six to seven shillings per 

 week. To afford a comfortable living for man and wife, not 

 less than ten acres of mixed market garden are usually required, 

 according to position and quality of soil, but when planted 

 exclusively with strawberries, from four to five acres will 

 provide a living for a man with a small family. Several 

 men who commenced business with a capital of between £100 

 and £200 have been able to make an average income of £2 per 

 week. 



The cost of breaking up new land varies very considerably. 

 In the case of land covered with " scrub " it may cost as much 

 as £20 per acre, whereas ordinary arable farm land, if not too 

 badly infested with weeds, need not exceed more than £3 per 

 acre for cleaning and preparation for planting. Ploughing from 

 12 to 16 inches deep costs £1 to £1 5s. od. per acre. Trenching 

 new ground two feet deep costs from 2s. 6d. to 3s. per rod, 

 whereas ground previously worked will cost from is. to 2s. per 

 rod. Manure to the value of from £6 to £12 per acre is usual ; 

 many growers allowing as many as 30 loads of farm-yard dung 

 •per acre. The average price of this manure is 5s. to 7s. per 

 load, while the cost of spreading is from 2s. 6d. to 3s. per acre. 



The number of strawberry plants required to stock one acre 

 of ground varies from 12,500 to 16,000 ; these cost from £4. 

 to £8, according to season, and whether they are layered 

 plants, or runners, which receive no special preparation. 

 Planting means an outlay of from £2 to £3 per acre, and the 

 cost of keeping the ground clear of weeds, from the time when 

 the plants are planted say in October, 1907, until the first crop 

 is gathered in June, 1909, would be approximately £9. 



Hoeing by hand is reckoned at about 15s. per acre, and horse 

 harrowing or hoeing at 2s. 6d. Straw for bedding will cost from 

 £3 to £4 per acre. 



The most expensive of all operations connected with straw- 

 berry cultivation is the gathering of the fruit, which will cost 

 from \d. to \d. per lb. if carefully performed. There is also 

 the cost of baskets, and other incidental expenses. 



As regards returns for the above-mentioned expenditure, the 

 average crop per acre for the past five years can be estimated 

 at 1,000 baskets, realising a profit of 15. per basket to the 

 grower. The yield of 1906 would fall somewhat below this 



