THE MARKET CULTURE OF STRAWBERRIES. 



157 



can state from experience that the fruit grown in the open is 

 far superior to any that is produced in closed-in gardens, obviously 

 because the sun from its earliest morning awakening to the 

 latest of its western rays is full on the plants the whole day. 

 These conditions cannot be expected in walled gardens, or in 

 places surrounded by trees. The full play of the warm winds 

 also tends to ripen and flavour the fruit more than is generally 

 expected. To proceed, the largest district for strawberries is 

 probably that near St. Mary Cray and Swanley, in Kent, where 

 the culture assumes enormous proportions. I note in the visit 

 of the Lord Mayor to the district lately, that one grower is said 

 to have as many as 2,000 acres, and that, besides 300 tons of 

 fresh fruit sent to Liverpool, he made GO tons of jam per week. 

 ( Garde ncrs' C hro nic Ic . ) 



There are others who do an equally extensive trade, and the 

 reason for this is probably because in that part there was 

 formerly much poor woodland, which the tenants were allowed 

 to grub and bring into fruit at a nominal rent, which would be 

 eminently suitable for the purpose, as deep steam cultivation and 

 upheaval of the roots, &c, would form a good cultural basis, 

 combined with the humus of the soil, upon which to start ; the 

 cheapness of London manure, and the ready means of getting it 

 by rail, have also aided the culture, and of course the same rails 

 (S.E.R., Orpington, and L.C. & D., Swanley) could take the 

 fruit to market, while the distance from Covent Garden, the 

 Borough, and other centres of distribution, was not too great to 

 allow of road carriage, though many prefer to send their own 

 vans ready loaded to the local station, and send them on the 

 rail, transferring them with their own horses from the terminus 

 direct to the centres of distribution. The soil of the " Cray" 

 district is eminently suitable for fruit culture, being light, and 

 more or less mixed with stones and flints ; but the main secret 

 of success is the heavy manuring given to the land with every 

 crop, and the intelligent culture bestowed. Sir Joseph Paxton 

 is the favourite sort, and it possesses all the requisite qualities 

 for the purpose, being a handsome glossy fruit of good firm 

 substance, a great bearer, and a hardy free grower, with good 

 foliage and strong footstalks to keep the fruit off the ground. 

 Stirling Castle is also grown, and Eleanor and Elton 

 Pine for later crops. The usual proceeding is to put the 



