120 
Fruit-growing in Kent. 
is either a general glut or a general comparative scarcity in the 
market. Fine-grown apples, choice dessert pears, large bril- 
liant plums, are always in request and bring remunerative 
prices ; but it cannot be expected that such fruit can be grown 
by the systems of management that have, as a rule, until re- 
cently prevailed. The producers of fruit have been too much 
mere fruit-farmers, having practised the rough-and-ready ways 
adopted in their cultivation of ordinary crops. There are signs 
that all this is being changed, and that proper attention is 
being bestowed upon details, upon minutia? which are essential 
to ensure success. It is possible that foreign competition, which 
is increasing year by year, coupled with a largely increasing 
home production, may affect the profits of growing " soft " fruit 
and the more common kinds ; but, with regard to fine dessert 
fruit, it is not likely that there will be too much if the growers 
have a due regard to the selection of sorts that will succeed each 
other in regular rotation, and keep their fruit at home until 
it is fit for market. It is too much the custom to send all 
fruit, that ought to be kept, away when it is gathered, on account 
of the trouble and uncertainties of " harvesting " at home. 
If the growers will not undertake this they cannot expect the 
full return from their fruit-land, nor will the public have a steady 
supply of fruit fit for table. A very great waste of fine fruit 
takes place because so little is kept at home by the producers 
until it is ripe ; and much goes to the smashers that should fetch 
full dessert prices in its due season. Many complaints have 
been made lately of the scarcity of fruit in many places, and 
it was justly remarked by Mr. Bartley,* that many of the poorer 
classes never taste fruit, which is so grateful and even necessary 
to some constitutions. This scarcity is due to the centralisation 
of the fruit supply in London and other large towns, caused ob- 
viously by the reason that the sale of consignments is practically 
certain at some prices — the market-price of the day. Soft fruit 
in many cases will not bear a second journey, and it constantly 
happens in the season that the costermongers are traversing 
London, taking fresh fruit to the slums and alleys at the 
cheapest rate ; for instance, selling fine Bigarreau cherries at 
l^d. per lb., while the inhabitants of the towns and villages 
within twenty miles of the metropolis, even in fruit-growing 
districts, can hardly get fruit at any price. Jam makers always 
stand ready to take immense quantities of all kinds of fruit in 
plentiful seasons, as the price is low and the jam will keep for a 
" rainy day." It is true that fruit of all kinds goes from London 
* " The Cultivation of Common Fruits from a Social and Economic Point of 
View." ' Society of Arts Journal,' Jan. 10th, 1877. 
