800 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
An excellent design for a fruit store will be found in the 
Royal Hortieultural Society's Journal, Vol. XVIII., page 145. 
Disposal of Surplus. 
Another matter of importance is the disposal of surplus fruits 
in a season of glut, and here we have either to depend upon the 
fruit preservers, or, if we have sufficient extent of land to render 
it profitable to do so, the fruit can be converted into pulp or jam 
on the place. This necessitates the erection of buildings, the 
purchase of boiling apparatus, and considerable labour ; but in 
numbers of examples a good percentage return has been obtained 
on the outlay by the prices secured for pulped fruit, Avhich in some 
cases would hardly have paid for the gathering. Certainly 
wherever a large extent of land is devoted to fruit-growing some- 
thing of this kind must be done, or contracts entered into with 
established firms to supply them in quantity, or much loss will 
occasionally be experienced. For colonies of fruit-growers a 
co-operative arrangement for preserving would be advantageous. 
Expenses op Fruit Culture. 
Having indicated the general aspect of fruit culture as a 
commercial undertaking, we pass to the actual cash expenditure 
involved. The gross and net profit returns will afterwards be 
reviewed, and the reader will then be in a position to form his 
own judgment as to the present position of growers, and tho 
prospects of those entering on the business. Statements of facts, 
substantiated by personal experience, will be given as concisely 
as possible. 
Kent. — In rural districts ordinary farm land suitable for 
fruit culture can now be had at 20s. to 40s. an acre, and in some 
cases generous landlords are returning to their tenants 25 
to 50 per cent, of this amount. For market garden land, 
already in cultivation, the rental value varies from £\ to £'10 an 
acre, and if any portion is planted with established fruit trees it 
ranges from the last-named amount up to as much as £20 an 
acre near large cities. 
Hates and Taxes. — Those differ according to the district, 
but generally average from 10 to 20 per cent, on the rateable 
value, whicli itself varies from two-tliirds of the rent to tlie full 
rent, but in some very exceptional cases even exceeding it. 
