72 Hints on Vegetable and Fruit Farming. 
of prosperity and contentment in Arcadia. There also are 
signs that the cost of the production of wheat will be increased 
in the United States, and that the effect of competition with that 
country will not be so disastrous to the home wheat-producer as 
some have prophesied. Fortunately there are other things than 
wheat for the English farmers to depend upon. There are meat- 
making, which will not for a long time, if ever, materially be 
interfered with by foreign competition ; barley growing, wool 
producing, butter and cheese making, fruit, seeds, and vegetable 
culture, poultry rearing, and breeding of good animals of all 
kinds for home requirements and exportation. If we inquire 
what class of agriculturists have held their heads above water 
during the late hard times, it will be seen that those who may be 
termed specialists have fared the best, generally speaking. The 
term "specialist" includes all breeders of stock of reputation, 
vegetable growers, fruit growers, dairy farmers, and seed growers. 
There is an increasing demand in all countries, from China 
to Peru, for English breeding-stock of all descriptions. The 
statistics of the annual statement of the Board of Trade show 
that whereas the number of live animals, horses, cattle, sheep, 
and pigs, that were exported from this country in 1875 was 
9572, of the declared value of 314,012/. ; the number exported 
in 1880 had increased to 16,672, of the declared value of 
425,400?. Surely there is room for a great extension of this 
trade. Foreign buyers would be encouraged by the lessened 
prices that would result from more breeders going into this busi- 
ness, and these prices would still be most remunerative. The 
noted herds of some English breeds are, in certain instances, so 
much reduced by the demand from abroad, that the old saying 
has been quoted as to killing the goose that lays the golden 
eggs. This was urged as a reason for the short entries of some 
breeds of horses and cattle at the last Show of the Royal Agri- 
cultural Society at Derby. The exportation of fine wool from 
England is increasing in a rapid ratio. In 1875, 10,536,523 lbs. 
of wool were exported from the United Kingdom, and 
17,197,300 lbs. in 1880. The exportation of seeds has increased 
in this same period from 119,060 cwts. in 1875, to 125,742 cwts. 
in 1880, and buyers from all countries are always ready to pur- 
chase good seeds of new varieties, or seeds of the best varieties 
of all kinds of cultivated plants.* W e must endeavour in every 
way to increase the exportation of specialities, and indeed all 
kinds of farm produce, and to keep up the reputation which the 
energy of the Englisli farmers and the peculiar suitableness of 
the soil and climate have gained. Instead of looking back to 
• Many seed polatoes linvo 1 oen exported to tie United States this spring 
from this country, iind rob-niit^ were sent frrin Kent to Ni w York lost season and 
found fiivour among epicures. 
