Advantages in Agricultural Production. 
263 
it was not known in tke old times that frost is most injurious 
in low-lying places, because of the dampness of the atmosphere. 
But now it is well known that a hill slope, with a sunny aspect, 
is the best situation for a fruit plantation. Not long ago I 
visited a fruit plantation in a Kent valley which had every 
appearance of prosperity. The soil is excellent, and the trees 
and bushes were of the best varieties, while the cultivation was 
all that could be desired. The occupier, who had acquired a 
considerable capital in business, thoroughly understood fruit- 
growing, and did not stint expenditure. His trees in blossom 
were a magnificent sight, and any visitor would have supposed 
that the grower was doing remarkably well. He informed me, 
however, that during his lease he had lost thousands of pounds 
which he did not expect to recover. The reason he gave was 
that his plantation was not only in a low situation (for there is 
lower land to the south, to which his plantation slopes), but 
mainly because there is a hill to the east of him, and when the 
sun rises over that eminence, its rays are in full heat, and fatal 
to fruit blossoms with hoar-frost upon them. If the hill was 
not where it is, the heat of the sun would be slight to begin 
with, and the thaw would be gradual ; instead of which scorching 
rays suddenly strike the frost-touched blossoms, and frequently 
destroy the promise of a great crop. 
For the growth of ordinary farm crops farmers generally 
know pretty well “the length of their tether.” That it is 
useless to attempt to grow mangel in the North of Scotland 
or on thin chalky soils, or sainfoin where there is hardly any 
lime in the soil, or beans on gravel, or potatoes on clay is 
generally recognised, though there are men who always insist 
upon buying their experience. But what is less generally 
known is the best substitutes for crops which do not succeed in 
particular districts. For example, it is the special hardship of 
farmers in the Eastern Counties that on a great deal of the land 
now unprofitable for corn permanent pasture does not flourish, 
on account of the dryness of the climate. Suitable mixtures 
of grasses and leguminous plants, however, do fairly well for 
temporary pastures on that land, and there is a great lack of 
knowledge as to the best mixtures to use. The Scotch settlers in 
Essex owe their moderate success in great measure to the economy 
in horse and hand labour which they have effected by laying down 
most of their land in temporary pasture, and stocking it with 
cows for the London milk trade. I believe that one of the most 
valuable and yet most neglected of all forage crops, lucerne, 
would grow well on the land referred to, or on a good deal of 
it. The old plan of growing lucerne in drills, and keeping on 
