HORTICULTURE IN THE ISLAND OF GUERNSEY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20022, 12 February 1927, Page 3

HORTICULTURE IN THE ISLAND OF GUERNSEY.

(From the Gardeners’ Chronicle). Quite apart from its attraction for visitors in virtue of its natural beauty, wonderful £oks and excellent bathing, the utile island of Guernsey—the irenazay, or “Green Isle” of the Norman*-«i * exceptional interest to the gardener because of its huge production of fruits, flowers and vegetables, as well as rare plants and shrubs. During a visit m August the writer waa greatly impressed by the extent and importance of the horticulture of the island and has ventured a tew observations thereon. Jt may be useful at the outset to gixa some particulars of the island itself. It is somewhat triangular xn shape, steeply cliffed and rugged on the south and a icw other points, and rather flatter to the north-west and north-east. The whole island covers less than 16.000 seres, and the rough coast country, steep hillsides and some sandy wastes reduce the cultivated area {arable and crass) r -o xI.OOO acres. Iho climate is mild throughout the year, and frost and enow are rarely seen, so that many plants (c.g., Felargoniums) xvhich would perish in an English winter, there survive in the open all the year round. At a. few points in the island the altitude runs to xvell over 300 ft above sea-level, indicating somewhat barren and wind-swept heights. The low-tying fields, however, are commonly snug and sheltered, usxially very small, and protected Py vory high hedges or earth hnnke. The holding’s aro quite small ,and there are perhaps, 2000 holders in all. . , , A/Wk The island population is about 4CLOOO, and “passenger arrivals” number 50,000 to 60.000. EXPORTS. The glasshouse industry is extensive, there being about 600 acres under glass, which is stated to equal 150 miles run of houses. Further ,it is _ believed that the glasshouses are increasing at the rate ox 200 or more per annum, and it is of interest to observe that in 1924 the imports of greenhouse glass reached 1971 tons, or more than double those in the previous year. In the same year the imports of many building materials, timber and wood for box-making, increased considerably. Regarding exports generally (not including Alderney) in 1924, the . following selected figures (in tens) are of interest: Flowers, 2059; bulbs, 195; plants and shrubs, 35; tomatoes. 21,049; potatoes, 2405; ' vegetables, 1792; grapes, 1599,; melons. 105; fruit (various), 134. Complete figures of 1925 arc not, yet to hand, but the estimated xmlue of certain produce exported in the year ended October L 1925, was as folloxvs:—Tomatoes, 31 million 121 b packages. £843,087; floxvers, 560.000 boxes, £211,333; grapes and other fruit, 259,090 baskets, £63,276; vegetables, 238.000 packages, £55,122; bulbs and plants £26,000. Total, £1,197,818. The Guernsey Growers’ Association appears to be a very live body, having for its object the assistance in every possible way of the interests of its members. It keeps a register of those requiring employment in any department of the groxving industry, afxd holds meetings and gives lectures for the dissemination of knowledge in relative subjects. .The Royal Guernsey Agricultural and Horticultural Society was formed “for mutual help and guidance and for the public good.” One of its objects is to further the interests of horticulture and “to promote the highest standard of horticultural production.’’ It has a membership of over 1000. District shoxvs are held regularly, and they attract many exhibits of high quality and must be doing valuable educational work. WATER SUPPLY. As a general impression, X felt many times that the gardens surrounding the glasshouses were very untidy and xveedy. It seems, however, that in many of these cases it was due to the fact that the ai'eas around the houses are occupied by bulbs, and at a busy season therefore are allowed to take their chance, and got cleaned at the end of August xvhen labour for outside work of this kind can he spared. The point is that the glass pays best and labour is costly. The glasshouses occupy large areas in the lower-lying parts to the west and north-west, and at many sKeltehed spots through the centre of the island, finding congenial spots in the valleys, often deep in hollows ,and on the choicer lands. Supplies of xvater are available in many cases from the State’s xvater works, but the number of windmill pumps is remarkable, these often standing very near together. Indeed, at one spot at Vazon no fewer than 18 were counted without moving. The xvater pumped is stored in large tanks, 15ft to 20ft above the ground level. In sortie cases, near the “xvater lanes,” xvhore much xvater passes down the slope of the lanes towards sea-level, dams are erected to stop the water, and hydraulic rams are used to force the water considerable distances to storage tanks; much xvater may be lost, but the rams are run at such negligible cost that they readily repay the capital expenditure, which is round about £5. The water is used on, lhe hill slopes and for terrace gardens for irrigating bulbs. TERRACE GARDENS. On many steep slopes on the south of the island terraces have been gradually laid out for groxving potatoes for home use, tomatoes, bulbs, etc. In some cases these terraces run one above another and are very striking. Potatoes may be planted at the end of December for late spring use, and then be followed by outdor tomatoes. In other cases bulbs are groxvn xvith much success. It is of interest to note that many years ago Guernsey had a considerable trade in cider, and there are still several old cider presses to be seen. One of these, m Saint’s Bay, dates back to the early eighteenth century, is in xvonderful preservation, and is the subject of a small charge for inspection. It is stated that it takes 14 bushels of apploe to make a barrel of cider, and that for every barrel a bushel of apples must be paid as a tithe, though this tithe seems to be dying a natural death because apples arc not grown to any extent. —H. C. Unnc.