THE ClNAniAN HORTICULTURIST. 



117 



frequent intervals. — E. Lewis Sturte- 

 VANT, M. D., Director. 



FRUITS IN ENGLAND. 



The extent to which our supplies of 

 fruit, for all purposes, are now furnished 

 by the market is most suggestive and 

 instructive, especially when we reflect how 

 much of it couies from foreign sources. 



At this season, the most prominent feat- 

 ures of the fruiter's store are the apples 

 and pears and pine apples Writers may 

 say what they like about the comparative 

 excellence of English apples and pears, 

 but so long as Newtown Pippins are in the 

 market, and French pears, both seem to 

 be preferred. And look at the prices 

 ^'(jod .s;i.aples of the latter have been fetch- 

 ing in the retail fruiterers' shops ! Taking 

 it altogether, there are few or no apples 

 which surpass the Newtown Pippin It 

 is an excellent keeper in the barrel, turn- 

 ing out in the soundest condition months 

 .ifter it has been stored. We have fre- 

 <iuently unpacked in January barrels that 

 were filled when the fruit was gathered, 

 in which there was hardly one decayed 

 fruit, and very few bruised ones ; but in 

 the barrel the bruised fruits do not decay 

 as they rapidly do on exposure, so that 

 the fruit is best kept in the barrel, stored 

 in a dry, cool cellar or some such place. 

 The reason the fruit does not rot when 

 bruised is no doubt because of the air be- 

 ing excluded, as the apples, being firmly 

 pjicked together, do not shift on the jour- 

 ney ; and where they squeeze each other 

 so closely the air cannot reach them. The 

 wonder is, however, that there are so few 

 damaged fruits in the barrels, the quantity 

 not being worth mentioning. No doubt 

 tlie excellence of these apples hinders 

 home culture very much, for numbers, 

 knowing they can supply their wants at 

 this season at little cost and trouble, do 

 not think of growing their own fruit — the 

 market is their orchard When a large 

 •luantity is wanted, the best way is to buy 

 in the barrel at the seaport, and keep 

 them in the barrels. A fruit room is not 

 needed in this case. The best brand 

 should also be secured. Other varieties 

 of American apples are also sold very ex- 

 tensively, and at a cheai)er rate than the 

 Newtown. 



In selecting good sorts for general culti- 

 vation the Americans have entirely beaten 

 the English growers, and this, more than 

 anything else, has tended to promote the 

 American apple trade, the origin of which 

 may be said to date from yesterday. It 

 is now beginning to be realized where our 

 mistake has bt-en, and there is an earnest 

 desire exhibited to imitate American culti- 

 vators in the matter of selection ; but, 

 while the latter have long since settled 

 the main problem for themselves, we are 

 still only groping in the dark, so to tjpeak, 

 as regards the best sorts to grow. The 

 American horticultural societies have no 

 doubt greatly promoted the apple trade, 

 for they have been far more practial and 

 nationally useful than similar societies in 

 this country. Their objects have been of 

 greater national importance, and they 

 have done much to foster the cultivation 

 of useful fruits and vegetables all over the 

 States. In presence of the American 

 societies for the promotion of horticulture, 

 British enterprise in the same direction 

 dwindles into the most insignficant pro- 

 portions ; for, although the Royal Horti- 

 cultural Society is one of the oldest in ex- 

 istence, and has had great opportunities, 

 it has a poor record to show. Its aims 

 have been paltry and frivolous in most 

 instances, and instead of leading it has 

 been led ; for it would be difficult to 

 mention any important service to horti- 

 culture which it has conferred. The vine, 

 pine, peach, apple, and pear, &c., have 

 been objects of improvement and culture 

 but ill none of these has the Horticul- 

 tural Society ever rentlered any signal 

 service. If, when it had the chance, it 

 had set to work to find out what sorts of 

 fruits were best for English gardens, and 

 what kinds of hardy fruits succeeded best 

 in different parts of the country, or 

 attempted some useful task of that des- 

 cription among the many open to it, what 

 might not have been accomplished by this 

 time ? There have been, and always arc, 

 important problems interesting and engag- 

 ing the attention of horticulturists, which 

 might often suggest work for a society 

 which professes to be national in its aims ; 

 but the Royal Society has usually set about 

 demonstrating such i)roblems, when it did 

 try, long after other people were satisfied 

 of their utility. — Oardenen,* ChronicU. 



