518 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



certain parts of Scotland, however, fruit-growing has gone ahead, and is 

 an important local industry — notably in the Clyde Valley and in the 

 Blairgowrie district of Perthshire. The climate of the Clyde Valley seems 

 well adapted to the growth of fruit, especially Strawberries, while Tomatos 

 are grown under glass. In the Blairgowrie district the industry is rapidly 

 progressing, Raspberries being a specialty. A very interesting account of 

 the Blairgowrie and Rattray Fruit- Growers' Association was given by 

 Mr. Hodge, a member of the Committee, small holdings, as at Evesham 

 and Wisbech, prevailing here also. In Wales there are a considerable 

 number of old grass orchards, especially in the counties of Brecon, Mont- 

 gomery, and Radnor. The small fruit grown is insignificant in amount, 

 and is almost entirely confined to the Holt district, in the Dee Valley in 

 Denbighshire, which county claims 741 acres out of a total of 1,263. The 

 Strawberry is almost the only fruit grown. Here the industry is in a 

 progressive state. 



15. There can be but little doubt that there is abundance of land in 

 other districts where fruit-growing might be profitably undertaken, 

 especially as its establishment in many cases has been t the result of 

 adventitious circumstances, such as cheap carriage — due to the compe- 

 tition of railways — the proximity of a good market, facilities in obtaining 

 land from the land-owners, or the presence of some one enterprising 

 individual. 



Difficulties and Drawbacks of the Industry. 



16. It will be seen from what has been already said that the cultiva- 

 tion of fruit, though but a small part of agriculture generally, especially if 

 judged by acreage alone, is a growing industry in Great Britain, and that 

 its increase in recent years has been remarkable. The opinion, also, that 

 still more fruit might be advantageously grown, provided that certain 

 difficulties and disabilities were removed, and if extension were directed 

 into the proper channels, would seem to be well founded. Nearly all the 

 witnesses argued that the British grower was unfairly handicapped in 

 some respects at the present moment, though their grievances differed 

 very largely, some laying stress on one thing, and some on another ; and 

 their suggested remedies differed even more widely. The Committee 

 have thought it well to analyse these grievances, and propose to deal with 

 each in turn, and to consider how far any of these remedies would be 

 likely to prove effectual, and might with advantage be recommended. 



17. The disadvantages under which the industry is alleged to labour 

 now may be classified as follows : — 



I. Insufficiency of knowledge, especially in regard to : 



(a) The right kinds and varieties of fruit to plant. 



(b) The character of the soil, and the effect of manuring. 



(c) The pruning and the general treatment of fruit trees. 



(</) Diseases and insect pests, and the methods of combating 

 them. 



(e) Packing and grading. 



II. Land tenure, especially the difficulty of obtaining land for the 

 cultivation of fruit and of adjusting equitably the respective interests of 

 landlord and tenant. 



