Dec. 1894.] 



FEUIT FARMING. 



151 



central society, with branches in many places connected by 

 telegraphs and telephones, would furnish admirable machinery 

 for the distribution of fruit, and keep co -operating growers posted 

 up as to where they could despatch fruit to the best advantage. 



The increase in the consumption of jam by all classes of 

 the community, and the steadily advancing demand for this 

 agreeable and wholesome article of diet, encourage additions 

 to the acreage of fruit land. Large quantities of fruit are taken 

 from the markets by jam makers, fruit bottlers, and fruit 

 preservers, and contracts are occasionally made with growers 

 to supply wholesale quantities of various fruits suitable for jam. 

 In msi,ny centres of fruit cultivation jam manufactories have 

 been established which have taken quantities of fruit. In some 

 instances these have not proved profitable because the establish- 

 ments have been equipped and carried on in a costly and 

 extravagant manner. To be of full benefit and value to fruit 

 growers, jam factories should be founded and maintained by 

 co-operation amongst producers of fruit. It is kno wn that fruit 

 has been purchased in London and consigned to jam manu- 

 factories situated in the heart of a district growing soft fruit. 



The important industry of fruit preserving in the shape of 

 jam making, fruit bottling, and fruit drying, has alone justified 

 the extension of the acreage of fruit land in this country, and 

 would justify a further extension if sugar should continue to be 

 as cheap as at present. The cheapness of sugar in this country 

 checks, if it does not prevent, competition from all other countries 

 in respect of jams and fruit preserved with sugar, and should 

 enable British manufacturers to do a considerably larger export 

 trade in these commodities than at present. 



Railway carriage and commission are saved in direct dealings 

 between local growers and jam manufactories. Railway carriage 

 is a heavy item of fruit producers' expenses. Commission 

 charges are high, and are the same whether fruit is dear or cheap. 

 It cannot, perhaps, be said that the railway rates for fruit 

 carriage are very excessive in the chief fruit producing districts 

 where large quantities are carried by trains arranged to deliver 

 in good time for the London markets. Where small quantities 

 are consigned by luggage trains the rates are high, and the 

 delivery uncertain, while if the fruit is perishable, and the 

 distance great, it may be in a bad state on delivery. Delivery 

 by passenger train for commercial fruit is out of the question as 

 the charge is almost prohibitive. It has been lately argued that 

 it might be to the advantage of railway companies to encourage 

 fruit growing by ofiering cheaper rates of conveyance, parti- 

 cularly for small quantities. 



