738 



H ORTICULTURE 



December 5, 1908 



British Horticulture 



w '1 II \l \ I RUIT SHOW 



A splendid display of home-grown fruit was brought 

 together mi the autumn show of the Royal Horticultural 

 Society. This year, in marked contrast to hist season, 

 has been more favorable for the growers, with the resull 

 that the hall was well filled with a highly meritorious 

 array of well colored ami attractive specimens. The 

 nurserymen who make a spei ialty of fruit were well to 

 the fore. Messrs. Bunyard a Co. had a magnificent col- 

 lection id' Kentish grown fruity lsn varieties of apples 

 and pr;ii- being included. This was awarded a gold 

 The second prize was awarded to Messrs. Can- 

 cel] & Sons, \\!ii> also exhibited Kentish fruit. Messrs. 

 .1. ('heal and Sons, wlm were the third-prize winners, 

 had amongst their fine group a new winter dessert pear, 

 Beurre de Naghan, a fruit of large size, pale golden in 

 color, with a resemblance of Duchess d'Angouleme, but 

 of superior texture. This pear was awarded a certificate 

 of merit from the Royal Horticultural Society. Another 



In was Encore, .in,' of the excelleni apples which 



have been raised by Mi'. C. Ross, a veteran hybridist. It 

 as a cross between Warner's King and 



Northern Gree g, and is regarded as a good late 



:. Amongst the other commercial growers 11. T. 

 Mason had a verj creditable display of marketable 

 produce. In the amateur section the exhibits of grapes 

 were part icularly fine. 



\ I uM i i:i m i ii v SPB VYIXO 



On the second da\ of the show there was a conference 

 called by the Royal Horticultural Society and the Na- 

 tional Fruit Growers' Federation to discuss the impor- 

 tant question of spraying. A remarkable feature of the 

 ssions was the wide diversity of opinion amongst 

 the scientific experts as to the value of spraying. The 

 ordinary grower may well be perplexed when he finds 

 this lack of unanimity on an essential pari of fruit 



growing. Tl rever, appeared to be a consensus 



of opinion favorable to the use of Bordeaux mixture. 

 provided the proper ingredients were obtained. Several 

 of the growers also urged the necessity of a special de- 

 partin -lit of the Board of Agriculture being set aside 

 for the purpose of dealing with the fruit growing indus- 

 try. In the course of a paper read by Mr. Getting, a 

 Herefordshire grow r, he suggested that a party of Brit- 

 rowers should pay a visit to the United States, and 

 investigate the methods of spraying and other allied 

 matters, and report heir inquiries Eor i he benefit 



of the industry in Britain. A trip of this character 

 would prove beneficial in extending a knowledge of the 

 American methods, and doubtless the British Govern- 

 mighl advantageonsh follow the lead of the United 

 - in giving additional aid to the fruit growers. At 

 iri ■■in in this countrj the experiment and researches 

 guidance of the commercial growers 

 nave to be made by enterprising private individuals like 

 the Duke of B nd other similar public spirited 



men. This is clearly a sphere of work in which the 

 Government could usefully engage for the benefit of an 

 important section of the community. The latest statis- 

 tics show that tin it growing is on the increase in this 

 country, and this gradual rise has been going on for 

 -nine years. 



NATIONAL SWEET TEA SOCIETY 



This society continues to maintain its prosperous 

 position. Arrangements have now been made for hold- 

 ing the next show at the Royal Horticultural Hall, Lon- 

 don, on July 23rd, 1909. and the provincial show will 

 be held at Soltaire on July 13th. A satisfactory report 

 will be presented at the annual meeting of the society 

 which will he held in London mi Dec. 11th. 'flic com- 

 mittee have made arrangements lor holding another 

 series of trials of sweet peas in tin- gardens of the Uni- 

 versity College, Reading. These trials have been a val- 

 uable adjunct of the society's work. A full opportuni- 

 ty has been afforded of seeing the new introductions in 

 their natural state before a certificate lias been granted. 

 A new arrangement has been made for next season. It 

 is intended to make a charge of -.'s. Gd. for each variety 

 sent for trial. Varieties will only be received from the 

 raisers or the original distributors. Further details as 

 to this branch of the society's work are obtainable from 

 Mr. ('. 11. Curtis, secretary, Adelaide road, Brentford, 

 England. 



THE NICHOLSON MEMORIAL FUND 



The council of the Royal Horticultural Society 

 are raising a fund for the establishment of a 

 permanent memorial to the late George Nichol- 

 son, who has done so much in the furtherance of 

 horticulture. Mr. Nicholson's name will always 

 he- associated with ''The Dictionary of Garden- 

 ing." For many years Mr. Nicholson was a useful 

 member of the Scientific Committee of the Royal Hor- 

 ticultural Society. He took a prominent part in the 

 revival of examinations by the society, and himself acted 

 as one of the examiners. The council, under these cir- 

 cumstances, think that it would be appropriate to per- 

 petuate Mr. Nicholson's memory by establishing a Nich- 

 olson prize to be awarded annually after examination to 

 the students at the society's headquarters at Wisley. It 

 is hoped that a satisfactory response will be made to the 

 appeal issued by the Secretary of the Royal Horticul- 

 tural Society. 



U*:m. ddi^r. 



Coming 



The Fourth Annual Holiday and Anniversary 

 Number of Horticulture. Tf you have anything to 

 sell wake up. Horticulture reaches the buyers. 



HOLIDAY TRADE NUMBER WILL BE ISSUED 



December 12 — Prosperity Waits 



