COUNTRY LIFE
A Gardener's Courage
How admirable is the cheerful courage of some of our commercial growers l Last week I walked over one of the best fruit farms in England, and found the owner as full of experimental zest as ever, though he had experienced the fortunes of a Job. The blows came from several direc-
tions. He had been asked (by the Canners) to plant logan- berries and had made a forward contract. While the bushes were maturing this delectable berry either lost favour or fell in price. The contract was cancelled and arrangements are now being made for the grubbing up of the logans ; and means are being sought for using the elaborate posts and wires set up. to hold their lusty shoots. That was one blow. During the winter and spring over £400 was spent on spraying fruit trees. On May 17th the farm caught the full b1:1 si of the icy wind that hit in some degree every garden in England The temperature fell to fourteen degrees of frost. On a great many trees there is no fruit . at all. The farm was inspected by an official of the Ministry of Agriculture and he .described it as the very worst he had seen. Such losses, against which there was no provision, might dishearten a Tapley ; but the owner seemed to be concerned only about the, question how he could find employment for the score or so of men regularly employed on the farm. All the casual work, in picking and such things, has of course, completely vanished ; and such money will be greatly missed in many homes all over England, and, indeed, Ireland.
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