THE COMMERCIAL ASPECT OF HARDY FRUIT GROWING. 285 
winds or has a slight inclination in a southerly direction, which 
secures the full benefit of the sun's rays early in the season. 
Elevation also demands attention, for in the low districts and 
near watercourses late spring frosts are always more frequent and 
more disastrous in their effects than on higher ground. Shelter 
from the south-west is valuable against equinoctial gales, which 
are apt to dash down much fruit in early autumn. 
Land Tenure. — Another of the general conditions necessary 
to success is the tenure of the land, for it is not a wise com- 
mercial proceeding for anyone to invest his capital, time, and 
skill in forming fruit plantations without suitable security of 
tenure. Happily, there is not much difficulty now in obtaining 
leases of twenty-one years on good land ; but where there is, and 
the land is rented for market garden purposes, provision is now 
made by the Market Gardeners' Compensation Act, 1895, for 
ensuring a fair valuation on the termination of the tenancy. In 
fact, upon small holdings generally, if the tenant plants fruit 
trees and bushes with the permission of the landlord, he can 
obtain compensation upon the basis of the value of the improve- 
ments to an incoming tenant.* 
Laboue. — Where a large area is allotted to fruit alone, the 
facility of securing labour at the time of fruit gathering is an 
important consideration, and this is one reason which induces so 
many growers to start in the neighbourhood of market gardens, 
and where fruit is already extensively cultivated. The rent of 
the land may be double or treble that asked for equally good 
ground elsewhere, yet there is generally a floating population of 
labourers in some degree accustomed to the work, and at busy 
seasons men flock to these centres. This is of no slight import- 
ance, for in few cases where fruit is grown for profit can sufficient 
hands be permanently employed to be independent of casual 
labour at gathering time. 
Knowledge. — Of essential personal requirements, a practical 
training and the knowledge derived from keen observation are 
indispensable for any man to ensure a prospect of success on his 
own account. If a capitalist is investing his money in a,n exten- 
* It is within my knowledge that many landowners would gladly make 
any reasonable arrangement with tenant farmers and others, with regard to 
planting fruit trees where soil and situation are suitable. Over 4i million 
acres (in Great Britain alone) of cultivated land are, however, at the present 
time occupied by the owners. 
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