410 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



in paring, and we not only get it in such a variety as ' Golden Noble,' but 

 excellence of appearance and quality as well, with productiveness into 

 the bargain. But for dessert fruit, as a rule, a medium is greatly to be 

 preferred, though few people grumble at a ripe ' William ' Pear, which, taken 

 at the right moment, combines all other good qualities with its noble 

 proportions. It is clear therefore that size is a merit, though not of the 

 first importance, and must give way the moment it begins to encroach on 

 quality. 



Another point to be remembered is that, to obtain size, production must 

 be unduly restricted, and an even crop, whether of flowers, vegetables, or 

 fruit, is much more to be desired for the use of the homestead than a few 

 overgrown specimens to place upon the snowboard. 



I again quote from Mr. Engleheart's letter : " We seem in England to 

 be held fast in a vicious circle, at all events as regards vegetables and 

 fruits. The public demands large coarse productions, and growers and 

 raisers say they can do no other than cater to the public taste or want of 

 taste. It would seem that there is some inherent want of perception in 

 us as a nation. A salesman or purchaser in Covent Garden would not 

 look twice at the exquisite little Muscadine Grape, the ' Chasselas de 

 Fontainebleau,' so prized in Paris, and the choicest crop of which, I 

 believe, is still reserved for the use of Russian royalties. Give us English 

 folk the ponderous Turnip-flavoured ' Gros Colman,' or the vapid leather- 

 skinned 1 Alicante.' " 



An Italian gentleman of my acquaintance who has a very gcod know- 

 ledge of English fruits, old and new, begged me to send him trees of the 

 true little Shropshire Damson, as superior, in hi-s judgment, to any other 

 Plum. Another friend, a lady born and resident in Holland until she 

 settled in England, complained to me that her gardener, a man of first-rate 

 reputation, must be a very bad one, because his vegetables were so large. 



And, to take this department first, what conceivable advantage is there 

 in size in vegetables ? The big Cauliflower will tit no saucepan, the big 

 Potato must be cut, and thereby admits water and is spoilt. The monster 

 Onion does not keep. Carrots and Parsnips are delicate and gocd for the 

 table in inverse proportion to their size. Will the grower of " one dozen 

 ' Ailsa Craig ' Onions, weight 37^ lb.," inform me what possible benefit 

 has resulted from his misapplied ingenuity ? The accident that Tomatos 

 are sold by weight, and of course cannot be cut to make an exact pound, 

 has caused the greengrocers to dislike a very large sample. But the false 

 Standard of a smooth round shape has thrust flavour, which in the Tomato 

 should be absolutely the prime consideration, into the second place. I am 

 not sure that any of our modern Tomatos are as good to eat as the old 

 corrugated red. 



In fruit, too, the general law seems to be that high flavour is not 

 associated with the largest size, though the rule is not so sweeping as in 

 vegetables. In Grapes there is a decided advantage in size of berry, 

 because of the tediousness of dealing with the stones in eating the smallest 

 varieties. The aim should be to obtain Grapes equal in size and flavour to 

 Muscat of Alexandria and Muscat Hamburg, ripening in a cooler 

 temperature and keeping through the winter. But until this is accom- 

 plished it is very difficult to understand why the wealthy amateur does 



