Fruit Cultivation. 
737 = 471 
o ained from foreign countries. For example, he introduced 
sieral sorts of cherries into Kent from Flanders, and it is 
a )opular notion that these were the first cherries grown in 
E»land ; whereas this fruit was introduced many centuries 
bore by the Romans. It is believed that the apple is indigenous The apple in- 
t( Britain, as mention is made of it in the very earliest records ; digenous to 
a I charters and grants of land in the twelfth century, in which 
1 hards are specially mentioned, prove that apples were culti- 
(1 in many parts of the country at that date. 
i he cultivation of fruit has made rapid strides during the Acreage of 
1; quarter of a century, both as regards extent of acreage Ojeat^Biltdn 
a;, improvements in management. According to the Agricul- in 1877. 
tid Returns of Great Britain for the year 1877, the total 
iber of acres of fruit-land, including orchards with grass 
cr the fruit-trees, and cultivated fruit-land, was 163,290, 
ortioned as follows : — 
Acres. 
Enaland .. 159,095 
Wales 2,619 
Scotland 1,576 
Iil876 there were 157,287 acres of fruit-land in Great Britain, 
ortioned as follows : — 
Acres. 
EtiEjland ■ 153,277 
Wales 2,600 
Scotland 1,410 
^hese Returns show an increase of 6003 acres in one year. Large increase 
'fly in England : and those of the four preceding years show in t'**^ acreage 
T 1 1 t *u • ^t,- * during the lasf 
)rresponding.y large addition to the acreage in this country, 
ch has been made principally in the counties near London, 
w )se soil is suited to the growth of fruit, on account of the 
p pinquity to the London markets : as well as in those counties 
w re apples and pears are grown upon grass-land, in Devon- 
-1 e, Somersetshire, Herefordshire, Worcestershire, and Glou- 
ershire. 
)n account of the increased cost of labour, horses, and all 
■r items of expense connected with arable land, much of this 
iii been lately laid down to grass, and fruit-trees have been 
pnted where the soil and climate are suitable. The profits of 
C( i-farming, pure and simple, are very small ; at the same time 
1 average value of land is gradually increasing, because its quan- 
is out of all proportion to the population of the country, and 
u lie desire and ability to possess it. From this it has followed 
tl: already, to a certain extent, land has been laid down with 
g'5S, planted with fruit-trees or bushes, cultivated as market- 
s' len land, and in other exceptional ways. British agriculture 
3 D 2 
