14 THE FLORIST. 



which, as I have already observed, have become one of the necessaries of 

 hfe with the working classes ; but, to place them within the reach of 

 the million, we must produce them at a price they can purchase them 

 at. And here I beg leave to ask "J. M.," " Helminthion," and the 

 other advocates of protectors, who attribute the failure of these crops to 

 frosts and our " precarious springs," can they do this (produce a supply 

 annually at a price the million can buy them at) by means of glass 

 coverings, of whatever form or description ? No, they cannot do so, 

 because the plan vrould not j^ciy — poor people could not afford to pay 

 high prices. We must, therefore, adopt those means which, even in 

 our " variable climate," will remunerate the grower, and at the same 

 time place these fruits within the reach of all. The large quantities 

 of Apples — not to mention other fruits — which reach our markets from 

 foreign countries keep down the price of them, even in years when the 

 crop is considered a failure in this country. Apples are at the present 

 time (Dec. 13) cheaper in Leeds market than they were three months 

 ago — I mean English fruit — so great is the supply from the Continent. 



Now, when we consider the amazing large quantities of Apples, Pears, 

 and Plums, both of foreign and home growth, that are annually con- 

 sumed in this country by all classes of people, we shall have little diffi- 

 culty in coming to the conclusion, that they are of more importance 

 than all our other crops of fruit trees put together. 



But " Helminthion " would leave these crops to the mercy of our 

 " precarious springs," whilst for Peaches, Nectarines, and Apricots, he 

 would erect glass structures of the very best materials and workman- 

 ship ; and " J. M." thinks a small amount of glass protection will make 

 good all the necessities and wants of a private family. It appears, 

 then, these gentlemen are only for supplying the wants of private 

 families ; but I beg leave to ask them where the supply to meet the 

 yearly increasing demands of the public is to come from ? 



Where is London, Manchester, Liverpool, Bristol, Birmingham, 

 Leeds, Bradford, York, and all our other great towns, to be supplied 

 from ? They must either be supplied at home or from abroad. But 

 " Helminthion " informs us, and he says " nine out of ten of the prac- 

 tically experienced gardeners of the country can corroborate the asser- 

 tion, that all our crops of late years have been destroyed by frost." 

 We must then, according to " Helminthion," either depend on foreign 

 countries for our supplies, or we must cover all our fruit trees with 

 glass. " J. M.," " Helminthion," and the other advocates of glass 

 walls, &€., may ride their hobby-horses as long as they please, but 

 they cannot mislead the great body of the intelligent practical gardeners 

 of this country. 



No, that they cannot do. Let us by all means use glass structures 

 for purposes that will pay. For this I am as warm an advocate as any 

 of them. And if some of our wealthy classes choose, for the gratifica- 

 tion of their taste and pleasure, to spend a portion of their incomes in 

 this manner, without any regard to profit, by all means let them do so. 

 But we must not on that account be misled from our duty, which is, 

 to provide for our people as large a quantity of food at as low a remu- 

 nerating price as possible. This is to be done, not as " J. M." and 



