6 
JOURXXL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ January 1, IfeSI, 
•with the spreading white petals. The flowers are produced freely, and 
when well grown the plant possesses a light graceful appearance. It 
can be treated similarly to many other annuals from warm climates— 
namely, the seeds are sown in heat, and the young plants grown in 
light soil in the stove, or placed during the summer in the conservatory. 
It flowers late in summer and autumn, and lasts some weeks in good 
condition with ordinary care. 
FRUIT PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION. 
In writing upon the subject of fruit production and distribution, 
in these days, it is probably impossible to say anything that has not 
been said before in some form or other, that is to say if we confine 
ourselves to the sober utterance of truth and of actual fact. It is, of 
course, always possible to say things strikingly new, but, like the aflage 
of the laconic critic—“ What is new may not be true, and what is true 
may not be new ”—we will rather deal with an old truth than a new 
falsity. I do not think, however, that this needs apo’ogy so long as the 
methods we advocate are on the one hand desirable, and on the other 
prove to be inadequately applied, or neglected altogether. It may be 
needful in passing too, that we, as vegetarians, view these matters in a 
particular, perhaps a peculiar, way. 
The word Vegetvs, in a sense our motto, indicates the direction of 
our view and thought, even applied to subjects such as these. Whilst 
the strict economist, in the utilitaiian spirit of the times, approaches the 
question purely from the pounds, shillings, and pence point of view, 
and is apparently concerned in the mercenary aspect, his fiist and only 
anxiety being a satisfactory answer to his question, “ will it pjay 1 ” we 
are moved with other, wider and deeper considerations and emotions ; 
we are concerned chiefly with the happv healthy life of the people in 
the social communities which our “ ism,” amongst other good things, is 
intended to foster, and we look upjon the ideal life for the happy 
Englander of the future as that which nearest approaches that state 
which can be best expressed as “self-containment,” if I may he per¬ 
mitted to build up the word or expression best calculated to convey the 
impression of that happy household where little, or very little is re¬ 
quired beyond what may be raised by its members, from the land 
which constitutes their holding. These suggestions seem needful to 
have in mind at the thresholfl, as it seems to be a popular belief that it 
is the farmers of the land who are the fruit growers. The phrase which 
has caught the public ear, “ fruit-farming,” seems to have encouraged 
this notion. 
There is a wide difference betw’cen the agriculturist and the horti¬ 
culturist—a difference which we have no time now to analyse anti 
define closely, but, broadly stated, it is the difference between the 
Though and the spade, between the slashing-hook and the pruning knife. 
The fruit growers must be classed with the gardeners rather than with the 
farmers. The pomologist is more horticulturist than aariculturist. As 
an industry, British fruit growing will be a distinct industry in its more 
successful phases, the persons engaged in it will foi’m a distinctive 
class, employing distincti/e methods. This not only implies that a 
number of people have to be found to take it up, but it takes us a step 
further, and asks who are the prcojjle that shall take it up, and what is 
their training to be ! These are really essential poin's, little as they 
are heeded, for we are f'ealing not with dead matter, but with living 
tissues ; though Mother Earth is by nature helpful and kind to those 
who work with her on the lines of her laws, she cannot hinder disaster 
if her laws be disobeyed either through ignorance, accident, or inten¬ 
tion. At the moment there is evidence of a fairly wiflespread desire on 
the part of those who have hitherto been occupied in towns, and who 
have had only town training, to take up the sparle and start to turn 
some barren waste into an Eden. The desire is as laudable as, in many 
cases, the subsequent failure will be deplorable. We have here our 
Scylla and Charybdis. Our way must lie somewhere between this all¬ 
worthy desire on the part of those at present forming a portion of the 
congested population thronging our larger towns, and the rural popula¬ 
tion proper, who have practical knowledge of the management and 
treatment of land, but have not qualified themselves for the details, 
and the more careful handling of crops which the business of fruit 
growing demands. 
I do not profose to make my paper more than a suggestive sketch of 
a wide subject, as within the limits at my disposal it would not be wise 
to attempt anything like exhaustive treatment, even of one phase of 
the fruit question. Further, it is only my intention to deal with such 
fruits as may be termed “hardy British fruits,” aid we may ask our¬ 
selves at the outset what main features arrist our attention as we 
endeavour, briefly, to grasp what is involved in the idea before us. We 
will consider, fiist, fruit production —with fruit distribution we will 
deal later. We find the facts which concern us arrange themselves in 
some such sequent order as this following-viz. ; (a) Climate, (n) Land, 
(c) Shelter and Situation, (d) Trees and plants, (e) Labour, (r) Super¬ 
vision, (G) Cultivation. ‘ 
With regard to climate, we have neither Ital’an skies nor southern 
sunshine. We cannot grow Grapes on our cottage walls, nor (tranges in 
our garden groves ; yet we can raise such fruits as will bear favourable 
comparison with these of any other clime, and the flavour of some of 
our best grown British fruits cannot be surpassed, if equalled. Even 
Ireyond ihe border line of England we find fruit growing carried cn 
with energy and spirit, and I have seen ard tasted Scottish grown 
Apples, Pears and Vrerries of such perfect quality as to command sudJ 
enthusiastic commendation as one would think could only be evoked 
for the produce of Kent, or some other county just over the hedge o3 
the garden of England. There are garden grumblers as well as holiday 
grumblers—people who, metapthorically speaking, are always under the 
shade of the umbrella, or in the vale of mist, but the climate is all 
right, and, as I write, 1 see in front of the summer house a line of 
cordon trained trees, and of Devonshire Quarrenden and Worcester 
Pearmain, with the rich reri fruits pieeping shyly from their green 
lattice. They have blusherl into prettiness as they have piaid court to 
the sun. Yes, the climate is all right. 
The question of “ Land ” next engages attention. This is a topic- 
bristling with suggestiveness, and were w’e to jmrsue pmo[jerly any one 
feature of the subject, we should have quite enough in hand for the 
remainder of the p»aper, and more. The larger towns have their con¬ 
gested pxjpulation, and when one is in the whirl of the big cities and 
sees the fruit shops heaperi up with foreign piroduce—with American 
Apples, French Pears, and with the foreigner in strong evidence every>- 
where, one is inclined to V>ecome tingefi with the pessimistiic belief that 
England is all coal fields and factories, but when you take a long 
stretch into the country, where the eye rests on the soft blue belt of 
the horizon, when you pas* on and on to'wards western, eastern, or 
northern districts, from this great centre, you are made aware of the 
fact that there is plenty of room yet for fruits and flowers, and that 
there are thousands and thousands of square miles and broad acres 
waiting to be wrxied and won over to the side of higher cultivation 
which fruit production necessarily implies. 
In the present uncertainty of the land laws, there is an element 
which seems to tell against the rapid and sustiined extension of th* 
orchards and fruit gardens of Britain, but it is to be noticed that many 
land owners are now prepare^! to meet tenants fairly in matters of 
improvement of this nature ; still it is the pierson who is, or who 
hiecomes, a land owner himself who takes the initiative in this industry, 
and this accounts, in some measure, for the result at times not proving 
so satisfactory as one was led to believe would l->e the case, as pxjrson* 
purchasing land are oftentimes helped to a decision as to position by 
the price at which the land is offered. That which is appjarentlj 
cheapest in the sale room is not adapited to his particular requirements 
like some of the hietter land afljoining, which carries sleek lazy cattle, 
or broad-backed sheep, at sight of which breeder and butcher nod 
approvingly to each other, and exchange silent compliments in expaa- 
sive smiles, whilst the more sterile pilot over the way seems only able to 
bear its fruit bushes as a burden, and lacks the life gift which puts 
vigour in the shoots and health into the tree, making it a weakly- 
looking, weary thing, whilst over the next field or two is a rich little 
patch which cost the owner a few piounds pier acre more as a first 
purchase, but it is railiant with dainty Vilossorn in the spring time and 
glorious with its weight of Applies at Apple-tide, when the orchard is 
decked in purple, green, scarlet, and gold. The State may not be 
prepared to take up upon a national basis the question of land law, bat 
it ought at least to recognise the true importance of the industry of 
British fruit growing, by putting it upon some footing of advantage a» 
to .State aid in some form or other—just as it has helped the fishing 
industry and other movements similarly favoured. 
There is then, happiily, no scarcity of land, and suitable land, for 
those who wish to enter upon this occupation fraught with health and 
blessing—the only caution needed is the ordinary caution demanded in 
any commercial undertaking—caution to see that the chosen piatch is 
not appraised at a fictitious value, and to discern that a bleak moor, 
away from man and market, is not the best position to make a atari. 
Even without encroaching upon the tillage land at all there is room for 
a remarkable development in the direction of stone fruits in hedgerows 
and other fruits in places now lying waste with weeds. There is one 
further remark needed in this division. Apart altogether from the 
question of landlord-help, or compensation, the trifi ng cost for trees 
and plants will very quickly be repiaid by fruit cropis, so that the farmer, 
or food reformer, may surely secure himself against anything approach¬ 
ing to loss under any circumstances. It is piossible for a false economy 
to see overwhelming difficulties where, in reality, there are but disaif- 
vantages. 
VV'e are naturally led up to the next pxiint—that of situation and 
shelter. Home peopile seem to plan and plant their fruit gardens with 
no more consideration for these pioints than if they were going to 
stick in posts for a clothes line for the laundry, or pioles for a 
gymnasium. It is quite true that some of the hardier kinds of 
various fruits will thrive, with care and attention, upion almost any 
soil and in most situations, but it must be rememliered that successful 
cultivation depends grea'ly upion the favourable character of these con¬ 
ditions. A good friable but substantial loam will be found most suitabre 
for Apples, Blums, Cherries, and other stone fruits, while Bears will Ixi 
better in a stronger soil. Bleak situations, and sites in exposed positions, 
should be as far as piossible avoided. Shallow, pxKir soils, or wet, cold 
land will lead to unsatisfactory results. The ground should lie drained 
carefully, as nothing is more injurious to fruit trees than a cold, un¬ 
drained subsoil. If the site is sheltered naturally, so much the bettev. 
If not, it is well to assist success by providing artificial shelter by screena 
of quick and dense growing trees, that can readily be kept well within 
bounds as they grow older. 
We now come to the items of trees and, in the case of the smallor 
fruits and lierries, bushes and plants. Upon this, time will only permit 
us to say a piassing word. It is of all impiortance that gwxl trees < 3 § 
