566 



Lavender Growing. 



[OCT., 



farms, and their establishment seems an efficacious means of 

 retaining the labourers on the land. As a matter of fact, 

 the movement from country to town has diminished in recent 



years. 



LAVENDER GROWING. 



Lavender, which was introduced into England from the 

 South of Europe in the sixteenth century, is grown commer- 

 cially in a few districts in England where conditions have 

 proved to be especially suitable to its cultivation. The 

 principal lavender plantations are to be found in the neigh- 

 bourhood of Mitcham, Carshalton, and Beddington, in 

 Surrey, and at Hitchin and Canterbury. At each of these 

 places the industry has been carried on for many years, and 

 a local reputation for their lavender production has been 

 established, which is no doubt a valuable asset. Recently its 

 cultivation has been extended to Dorsetshire, where a some- 

 what large area at Broadstone has been devoted to it in 

 conjunction with some other similar plants. 



Although it is not improbable that there are many other 

 districts where the crop could be grown with success, the 

 difficulty of disposing of any large quantity of the produce 

 in places where no still exists must be borne in mind. Dis- 

 tillers are often loth to take produce from a distance, owing 

 to the fact that in order to get the best results distillation 

 should take place immediately after harvesting. On the other 

 hand, it may be pointed out that most large towns provide a 

 fair market for bunches of lavender flowers. 



Soil and Climate. — The lavender plant is probably more 

 dependent on climate than soil, though a light loam over- 

 lying chalk and a sunny sheltered position sloping to the south 

 or south-west are perhaps most favourable. It is successfully 

 grown at Hitchin on a light gravelly sub-soil. Lavender is 

 indigenous on the hills bordering on the Mediterranean, and 

 conditions which closely reproduce those of its native habitat 

 are necessary for its successful cultivation. As regards soil, 

 good natural drainage, a light, fairly rich soil, and a warm 

 position are essential, while a mild winter, with a low rainfall, 

 followed by a warm, dry summer, favours a good crop and, 

 what is equally important, a high-quality oil. 



