'264 
.TOUEyAL OF THE EOY.\L HOETICULTl-RAL SOCIETY. 
country, the total was about four million packages, out of which England 
took nearly three and a half million, making our consumption very 
large compared with other countries, and coming now from Brazil. Florida, 
California. West Indies, Australia, Canary Islands, North Africa. Italy. 
Malta, lVC, and even from India. 
Ajjjjies one may consider the next largest supply. Thirty yeai-s ago 
there were very few beyond those grown in England, except some fancy 
vaiieties from France and some of very inferior quahty from Holland and 
Geiinany. But soon after that time New York began to send New Town 
Pippins, followed by other varieties : a few years afterwards Canada 
followed, and then Nova Scotia, until the supply from those sources last 
winter was 1,217,767 barrel?. 
With the advent of cool chambers Apples are now successfully brought 
from California. Tasmania, and South Australia, so that we are never 
without a full supply of fresh ripe fi'uit. The Australian, ripening as they 
do at Christmas time, are very acceptable here, as other supphes get 
short : the quantity from these three centres, all coming in cool chambers, 
now exceeds 300,000 cases. 
Our own gi'owth has at the same time considerably increased, and 
shows signs of still doing so : but although on the whole English apples are 
better than they used to be. there is still a large proportion only fit for 
the jam pot or cider. In a very carefully written article on Pomology 
in last week's Gardeners' Chronicle the editor states that oui- growers 
produce at once the finest and the worst samples."' I quite endorse that. 
Peers have also increased tremendously, not so much fi'om home 
supply as imported. At one time they were only to be obtained in the 
autumn, but France has found a ready market here for an ever-increasing 
quantity, while California sends very large supplies in cool chambers, 
commencing in August and keeping on till March. A few have 
commenced to come from Cape Colony and Australia, and, as these arrive 
during March and April, there is room for a trade to be done in them. 
There are also many acres of English, and doubtless some of the 
hardier varieties can be gro"^*n to pay, but I am of opinion that England 
cannot compete with either France or California in growing the better- 
class varieties. 
Bananas are quite a recent addition, and it is marvellous how the 
public generally have caught on to them. Twenty-five years ago the 
only ones coming were imported from Madeira by Messrs. Mart Company, 
and ripened in their wine cellars, and when asked if I could sell them I 
was very doubtful about it ; but eventually I gave them a trial, and as they 
went all right imports were increased, other firms stepped in, until at the 
present time they are quite a staple article in the fruit trade. The bulk 
now come from the Canary Islands, the inhabitants there being induced 
to take up the growth of bananas, tomatos, and potatos, owing to the 
previous staple industry in cochineal for dyeing purposes failing, through 
mineral dyes being introduced much cheaper. At the present time the 
islands are simply market gardens, and the bulk of the produce comes 
to England. During the year ending June last the number of bananas 
imported from there was 783.41?^ bunches, while the total ten years ago 
was 29,903 bunches. 
