150 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



On the second day of the Conference, Monday, October 1, 

 the Chair was taken at 3.30 p.m. by Mr. Geo. Bunyakd, F.R-.H.S. 



FRUIT-GROWING ON A LARGE SCALE. 



By Mr. Chaeles D. Wise, F.S.I., F.R.H.S. 



Owing to the great increase in the fruit-growing industry a good 

 deal has been written during the last few years on fruit-farming 

 and the enormous profits to be made. The bulk of these reports 

 are greatly exaggerated, although under certain conditions, 

 which I will endeavour to set clearly before you, fruit-growing 

 yields a fair return on capital expended. Many people think 

 that fruit-trees have merely to be planted, and that profitable 

 returns in due course are assured ; and it is only by experience, 

 and in many cases by loss of capital, that they find that fruit- 

 growing is a business and a science, and that, as is the case in 

 other trades, the apprenticeship has to be gone through and the 

 business thoroughly studied — I do not say learned, as the fruit- 

 grower learns something new every day, and his lessons will 

 never be over. <w 



Why do not farmers go in for fruit-growing ? This question 

 is asked again and again ; I think the simple answer is that, even 

 if they felt inclined to do so, they do not know how to set about 

 it, and not only do they not understand the business, but where 

 is the necessary capital to come from ? — and even should that be 

 forthcoming, it is not on every farm that land adapted for fruit- 

 culture is to be found. 



We have also these important considerations : — 



1. There are only selected areas where you can hope to 

 succeed so far as soil, shelter, and situation are concerned. 



2. Fruit-growing, especially on a large scale, should 

 be within reasonable distance of a good market or rail- 

 way station. 



3. The tenant must be prepared to stand out of his 

 capital for certainly four years, or perhaps longer, before a 

 fair return is obtained ; and no tenant should plant on a 

 large scale except under a lease of at least twenty-one 

 years, and with compensation for improvements fully 

 assured at the end of his tenancy. 



Given suitable soil and situation, with railway accommodation 



