118 
Fruit-growing in Kent. 
keep the fruit from the dirt, to stimulate the growth of the 
plants, and to retain the moisture in the soil, which is most 
essential for the plants. This covering of rough dung also 
serves for manure for the next season. Strawberries for eating 
must be picked very early in the morning in order that they 
may be fresh and firm. They are generally picked by gangs of 
men and boys, who sally forth at 3 A.M. and leave off at 7 A.M. 
This matutinal fruit is put into " punnets " containing about 
1 lb. weight, which are again packed in deal boxes holding 
about five dozen " punnets," and sent off by the earliest trains to 
Covent Garden. For this, which is the crime de la crcmc of 
the fruit, as much as 5/. per box is sometimes realised, or 
Is. 8c?. per lb. Women do not pick the best strawberries, as 
they do not like the very early hours, and their clothes damage 
the fruit ; but they arrange them deftly in the punnets and 
boxes in a shed or tent close to the field. Some growers sell 
the produce of their strawberry-plantations to middlemen, who 
pick, pack, sell, and take all risk, at an average price of 
18/. per acre. Others make contracts with jam makers to 
supply them with strawberries at from 18Z. to 28/. per ton. In 
this case the fruit is gathered at all times in the day, and sent to 
the jam manufactories in tubs containing 80 or 100 lbs. weight 
of fruit. The average price of this fruit in London is about 
Id. per lb. When the price falls below 3d. per lb. there is 
not much profit in its production. Strawberry growing is a 
very pleasant and a fairly profitable business when carried on 
under favourable conditions near the metropolis, and it seems 
hardly possible that home or foreign competition can interfere 
much with the fortunate cultivators in West Kent. 
Raspberries are also largely grown in this part of the county as 
well as to a small extent near Maidstone and Sandwich. The 
" canes " are raised easily and quickly from cuttings, and are 
planted between currants and other bushes ; or by themselves, 
about 15 inches distant from each other, in rows wide enough 
apart for purposes of cultivation, being treated as regards cultiva- 
tion and manure in the same manner as fruit-bushes. When this 
fruit is grown on a large scale, stakes and espaliers are dispensed 
with, the canes are cut down in the winter to about 3 feet in 
height, the old wood that has ceased to bear is cut away, and 
as much of the young wood as is not required. Care should be 
taken to retain those canes that are stoutest and have short 
joints. The fruit is picked by women and children, and is 
usually sold to contractors at from 18/. to 26/. per ton. It is 
packed in tubs in order that the abundant juices may be pre- 
served. Some of the largest, firmest, and best fruit is sent to 
market in punnets for dessert, but the bulk of it goes to the 
