1922.] Exhibits at the Imperiaj. Frxit Show. 789 



The display of such a large mass of fruit and potatoes was 

 ruiturallv an attractive sif^ht to the manv visitors who came to 

 the Palace, and should have some effect in encouraging ar 

 increased consumption of fruit by townsfolk. The growers 

 from all parts of England visited the show for another purpose, 

 namely, to see the exhibits in the hope of learning better methods 

 of selecting and packing the fruit for the markets. In this 

 they were not disappointed, for there was much to be learnt by 

 a close study of the methods adopted in selecting the fruit and 

 the methods of packing adopted in the competitive exhibits ; 

 useful knowledge on market packages and methods of packing 

 was provided at many of the trade exhibitors' stalls, whilst on 

 the stands of the Ministry the scientific exhibits staged by the 

 Long Ashton, East Mailing. Rothamsted. Cambridge and Leeds 

 Universit}'' Research Stations, together with the models of pests 

 from the Ministry's Pathological Laboratory, afforded a unique 

 opportunity for all to acquire a knowledge of recent research. 



The names of the apples were generally attached to each 

 exhibit, so providing information for the less experienced. The 

 eJudges' Score Cards were also placed on view, not only that e.ach 

 exhibitor could see the marks awarded to his own exhibit but 

 that all who so desired could study the good and weak points of 

 every exhibit. The writer does not intend to give a general 

 account of the show, for this the technical trade Press has pro- 

 vided, but it may serve a useful purpose to give a few notes on 

 (he winning exhibits in the premier classes, commencing with 

 the all-important section where British and Canadian fruits were 

 in competition. 



Apples* — British Empire Section. — The principal classes in 

 this section were for dessert and culinaiy apples, and each com- 

 petitor's exhibit comprised no fewer than 20 boxes. In years 

 favourable to the production of good samples of fruit the selection 

 bv a grower of some 4,000 dessert apples or 2,000 cookers, 

 uniform in size, colour and shape, sufficient to fill 20 boxes, is 

 by no means an easy task. This year when British fruit 

 generally was small and of poor colour the task was a hard one, 

 and it would generally be agreed that the British exhibits in this 

 section fell below the hi.cjh standard achieved in the Kent and 

 Southern Counties and the West Midland Sections, where an 

 exhibit comprised 6 boxes. The Canadian exhibits, though 

 perhaps, not so well packed as in 1921, contained good condi- 

 tioned fnu't with plenty of colour and bloom and of uniform size 

 and colour. 



