AN ENGLISH FRUIT-FARM IN THE MAKING, 



485 



Soils, within limits, may be altered — improved both as to their 

 chemical and mechanical states — but site is an unalterable thing. 



You cannot pick up a site and turn it round towards a point of the 

 compass more favourable than that which Nature has allotted to it; 

 you cannot elevate it above danger from cold nor depress it into 

 shelter from tempest; you cannot transport it bodily to some spot 

 m-iles, or even yards, away, thereby to improve its general amenities ; 

 you can do nothing but abandon it if its defects prove to be so radical 

 as to defy rem.edy and render profitable fruit-culture impossible. 



The actual position, then, is of paramount importance — position in 

 relation to the points of the compass; position in relation to natural 

 protection from prevailing winds; to elevation and its effect upon 

 temperatures ; the configuration of the surface, its slopes, and so forth — 

 in short, the lay of the land. 



Then, again, its position as regards facilities for the marketing 

 of produce— the means of transport which serve the site (the roads), 

 distance from railways, the cost of carriage of produce from the farm 

 and of necessities for exploitation to the farm, are factors which gravely 

 affect the business of fruit- farming, and must be taken seriously into 

 account. They are factors, too, which must determine what species of 

 fruits are to be produced, and may easily decide whether it be possible 

 or not to cultivate any given species of fruits with profit at all. 



In climatic conditions, as we know them here, it is well to have 

 the aspect of a fruit-farm site with as much south and as little north in 

 it as possible. From the northward, of course, comes the cold, which 

 is the fruit-farmer's danger, especially in the spring of the year — not 

 merely frosts and blizzards, but those steady cold currents of air, often 

 some degrees in temperature above freezing-point, which by their long 

 duration and persistency chill the soil, retard activity in the plant, and, 

 when they occur at blossoming time, as they frequently do, are, I am 

 sure, nearly as harmful as actual frost. The fruit-farm needs pro- 

 tection from these attacks, and a southerly aspect best affords it. A 

 gentle slope to the south, then, is to be looked for — full south, if pos- 

 sible, or south-east or south-west, if not. South-east may be better 

 than south-west, or vice versa, according to local conditions. In general 

 a south-westerly aspect is to be preferred to a south-easterly one, as 

 being the warmer; but, in the South of England, south-westerly 

 gales are so prevalent as to become a factor to be reckoned with ; and 

 unless, by natural or artificial means, the orchard is screened from 

 them, much damage may from time to time arise, especially in the 

 autumn. Our markets are too often flooded with immature and 

 damaged fruit, after a good sou '-wester. With an easterly aspect we 

 have the danger of that damage which ensues to frozen foliage or 

 blossom when it is suddenly subjected to the direct rays of the morning 

 sun, and rapid, in place" of gradual, thawing occurs. This result of 

 an easterly aspect may not be of frequent occurrence, but it is worthy 

 of consideration. 



When inspecting the site we have to note carefully what protection 



