OPENING ADDRESS BY THE CHAIRMAN. 



7 



has remained much as it was, with the addition of early dwarf 

 Vienna, and Gilbert's Universal, certificated in 1884, 



Among Beans not much has been done in the way of im- 

 provement ; we still cultivate the same varieties of Dwarf French 

 Beans as we did twenty-five years ago. Ne Plus Ultra among 

 the early sorts, and Canadian Wonder among the long-podded 

 late sorts, are the best introductions of late years ; and among 

 Eunner Beans, Girtford Giant and The Czar, which were raised 

 by Laxton, are the most prominent improvements. The French 

 varieties of Butter Beans are, I think, deserving of more atten- 

 tion than they have hitherto received ; as served in France they 

 are certainly a great delicacy. Some of the old sorts of Broad 

 Beans, as White Blossom, Red Blossom, and others, have nearly 

 disappeared. Beck's Green Gem may be considered an improve- 

 ment on the old dwarf Fan; Seville Long-pod and Aguadulce, 

 introductions from Spain, have certainly the advantage of pro- 

 ducing very long pods, but it is doubtful whether they have so 

 many beans in a pod as a well-selected stock of Hang-downs, of 

 which Bunyard's new selection is perhaps the best. 



For upwards of two centuries the Potato has been, and is un- 

 doubtedly long destined to be, the staple vegetable of temperate 

 climates. Thirty years ago there were as many sorts cultivated 

 as there are now, or perhaps, more correctly speaking, as many 

 names were in use for real or supposed varieties as there are now ; 

 but with this important distinction, that whereas over a great 

 part of the country every district of greater or less area had its 

 own particular sorts under its own local names, and rarely 

 admitted other kinds into cultivation within its limits, the ten- 

 dency — I may say the practice — especially among professional 

 gardeners, is now almost universal to select the best proved kinds 

 under their generally recognised names, and this has been one of 

 the principal causes that has brought about the improvement in 

 the Potato we everywhere meet with, for it is an undoubted fact 

 that not we only, but also the general public, get better Potatoes now 

 than were supplied thirty years ago. Even that terrible scourge , 

 the Potato disease, has not been an unmixed evil, for thirty years 

 ago the fungoid disease that first came prominently into notice in 

 1845 was as virulent in unfavourable seasons as it had ever been. 

 The sorts of Potatoes cultivated in the more remote rural districts, 

 especially by non-professional gardeners, had been grown year 



