32 The Time of Blossoming of Fruit Trees, [april, 



number of days; and the skill which discriminates in such 

 matters is a valuable asset. The supply of skilled labour 

 is at present limited, and drawn almost entirely from the 

 Sussex fattening districts ; but experience shows that the 

 supply of skilled labour tends to increase with permanence 

 of demand and adequacy of wages. It is therefore reasonable 

 to assume that the establishment of additional fattening 

 centres would produce the necessary supply of labour. 



Demand for Produce. — Finally there is the question of the 

 demand for fattened fowls. Whilst it is true that fattened 

 poultry is more economical than unfattened, for the consumer 

 as well as for the producer, the great mass of consumers do 

 not understand that the increased proportion of flesh is cheap 

 at the extra price. The increase of fattening centres would 

 therefore need to be gradual and not out of proportion to the 

 demand. But apart from the steady demand of the metro- 

 politan markets, there are indications of a more widespread 

 appreciation in the provinces of well-fattened fowls of fine 

 quality. (Detailed information as to the character of the de- 

 mand in the chief provincial markets was given in this 

 journal, February and May, 1908.) 



NOTES ON THE TIME OF BLOSSOMING OF 

 FRUIT TREES. 



Cecil H. Hooper, M.R.A.C. 



With the object of checking the observations * made in 

 1908 on the order of flowering of different varieties of hardy 

 fruits, records were again kept in the fruit plantations of 

 the Wye Agricultural College, Kent. Similar records have 

 also been supplied to me from Worcester, Hereford, Mon- 

 mouth, Sussex, and Kent. 



The weather during the time of blossoming in 1909 was 

 favourable for fruits generally. On the nights of April 30th 

 and May 1st there was slight frost, with a little snow and 

 hail, but, the weather and the plants being dry, little harm 

 was done to gooseberries, red currants and black currants, 

 which were in flower at the time. 



Cob nuts were in flower at Wye from February 1st to 



* Journal, December, 1908, p. 678. 



