With the exception of the orchards in the Slough district, there is not much to be said of the general culture of fruit. The orchard on the vast majority of farms exhibits the same neglect that one has come to expect from their treatment in the country generally. Few young trees are planted ; and, if they are, they are seldom cared for, while the old trees are left alone. The soil is not, as a rule, naturally adapted for apples and pears, and their growth is seldom satisfactory, but cherries and all stone fruit thrive on the chalk. The cherry orchards of Cookham are a delightful sight, both in blossom and fruit time, and form one of the sights of the county.
Among the extra crops of the farm lucerne is but sparsely grown. Sainfoin is, however, very largely cultivated and thrives remarkably well in most years with very little assistance. Admirable both as hay and pasture, it is hard to over-estimate its value.
The farmers' chief vegetable pests are docks and couch grass, men- tioned above, charlock, which seems inseparable from chalk lands, and the scarlet poppy, known in Suffolk as ' canker,' which is very con- spicuous on many of the hot gravels. Of animal pests, rats and mice cause much damage to corn, both in stacks and barns, and seem to be increasing. Sparrows cause very serious loss in harvest time, while the blackbird does great damage to the fruit growers.
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