Frait-gr<ming in Kent. 
101 
damson trees, and 1031 bushes on each acre. Where filberts 
are grown under apples, they are usually planted about 13 feet 
apart, which would give about 257 trees to the acre, and plums 
or damsons arc not generally planted in this case. The cost 
of preparing the land and of planting it as a mixed plantation, 
with all incidental expenses, varies from 16/. to 20/. per acre, 
according to the sorts and number of trees planted. Applc- 
trees cost Is. 6rf. each as an average. Plums and damsons Is. 
each, filbert and cob trees Ad. each. Gooseberry and currant 
bushes from 10s. to 14s. per 100. The annual average cost of 
cultivation, including rent, interest on outlay, tithes ordinary 
and extraordinary,* rates, maintenance, and other expenses, 
exclusive of all charges connected with picking and selling the 
crop, which would, of course, depend upon its amount, ranges 
from 13/. to 16/. per acre. 
It will now be convenient to describe the different fruits 
grown in Kent, commencing with 
AlTLES. 
This fruit is grown chiefly in Mid Kent and the Weald of 
Kent. It is also grown in East and West Kent, though not to 
any great extent. In the first-named district the acreage of 
apple-orchards has recently decreased, especially of those under 
grass in the neighbourhood of Maidstone. The trees had 
become, in many cases, cankered from rough pruning, or over- 
burdened with useless wood from the absence of judicious thin- 
ning. No pains had been taken to replace trees that had died. 
The grass had been systematically mown and kept unmanured, 
or had been fed off by lean stock. It is only recently that the 
occupiers of grass orchards have discovered that fruit-trees require 
a large and regular supply of manure, and that grass-land has 
more than enough to do, unassisted, to repair the waste caused by 
constant mowing, or feeding off with animals getting their whole 
subsistence from it. Many apple-orchards of this description, 
which old men can remember as having been abundantly pro- 
ductive of Nonpareils, Ttibston Pippins, Margels, Golden Rus- 
sets, and other apples of choice quality, rare size, and excellent 
flavour, have been grubbed up to make room for hops. As the 
best land was invariably selected for apple-orchards, in times 
when hops were not so highly esteemed, it is found that hops 
always thrive remarkably well in the " old orchard " grounds. 
* At the time of the commutation of tithes, in 1836, nn extraordinary rent- 
chnrge wns laid upon fruit-land of from 6s. to 8s. per nere, in addition to the 
ordinary charge. Hop-land is also subject to an extraordinary tithe rent-charge. 
