i 9 ii.] 



Fruit Farming in West Kent. 



8ii 



FRUIT FARMING IN WEST RENT. 

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



The plantations in Crockenhill parish in West Kent, where 

 several thousand acres are under apple, plum, and pear, 

 afford good examples of planting and management. This 

 parish 60 years ago was largely woodland. The pioneers in 

 fruit growing commenced to grub the woods, the landowner 

 giving the underwood for the work of grubbing (worth £8 

 or £10 per acre), but retaining the oak timber for himself. 

 For one year after grubbing the land was free of rent, and 

 afterward £1 per acre was charged. Crops generally grow 

 well after woodland, and for some five years no manure 

 was required, strawberries and raspberries being found to 

 thrive particularly well. In these pioneer days there were 

 about 100 inhabitants in the parish, and during winter the 

 men chiefly worked in the barns threshing or in the woods 

 cutting underwood. At present there are nearly 2,000 in- 

 habitants, of whom the greater part are more or less engaged 

 in fruit cultivation or picking. Wages were formerly 10-155. 

 per week, but now range from 18 to 20s., and in the case of 

 piece-work up to 24s. The rent of the land has risen to 

 SOS. or 40s. per acre. 



Apple Plantations. 

 Cultivation and Planting. — In Crockenhill there are many 

 plantations of half standard trees, but the more recent 

 plantations are almost entirely bush-trees, most of the apples 

 being grafted on the broad-leaved English Paradise stock. 

 The land on which the plantations are being made was largely 

 market garden land, which had for years been liberally 

 manured. 



Bush apple plantations are generally set out 10 ft. x 10 ft. 

 or 12 ft.xi2 ft., chiefly on the square, though some are 

 planted in triangles. Sometimes a strong grower like B ram- 

 ley's Seedling is planted alternately with a weaker grower 

 such as Lane's Prince Albert. Among the apples found 

 to answer best for this method of planting in West Kent are 

 Graham's Royal Jubilee, Newton Wonder, Lord Derby, 

 Duchess' Favourite, Lord Suffield, King of the Pippins, 

 Worcester Pearmain, Beauty of Bath, Bramley's Seedling, 



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