CCXXXll PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



fruit as the experienced fruit-grower in this country. For instance, 

 at the Society's Show at Holland House Mr. Kivers was kind enough 

 to send him a large box of cherries called ' Early Eivers.' They were 

 very large, delightfully sweet, full of juice, and very black. He 

 asked the Japanese Ambassador, who sat next to him, to taste some. 

 He did, and he asked what fruit they were. In Japan they only 

 know cherries as flowering trees ; and it was some time before he 

 eould persuade the Ambassador that they really were cherries. He 

 thanked Sir Edward Grey for his attendance ; and also the ladies and 

 gentlemen for being present in such large numbers not only to take 

 advantage of the Show, but to give a most cordial welcome to Sir 

 Edward. 



The Eight Hon. Sir Edwaed Grey: Sir Trevor Lawrence, Ladies, 

 and Gentlemen, — It is a pleasure to me to be able to come here to-day 

 to open this magnificent Show; indeed, it is a little difficult for me at 

 this moment to remember that there is a General Election going on 

 outside. I come to you from the Foreign Office, where we are always 

 much too busy, even when we are not occupied with the controversial 

 aspects of a General Election ; and I come from there to you here 

 to find you ready to admire this Fruit Show just as if there were no 

 election in progress at all. In fact, you are, I will not say like an 

 oasis in the desert, but you are rather like a beautiful island safe and 

 dry in the midst of the raging torrent of the election going on outside. 

 I trust that nothing which is happening elsewhere will interfere with 

 the success of this Exhibition. It is really an admirable thing that the 

 Eoyal Horticultural Society should from time to time hold these 

 Exhibitions of Colonial fruit; and I should like to assure the Colonies 

 who send the fruit that there is no better place to be found in this 

 country in which the Show could be held, and no better auspices than 

 those of the Eoyal Horticultural Society. What is being done is a 

 benefit both to the Colonies and to ourselves ; it is a benefit to us that 

 Colonial fruit should be brought within our reach, and it is a benefit 

 to the Colonies that their produce should be made better known to our 

 consumers. As your President has said, there is not the least danger 

 of its interfering with the home market. Our season is different from 

 theirs, and with regard to the special qualities of the fruit which we 

 produce at home as regards flavour there is no danger because our 

 own home fruit is second to none. In the Colonies, where they have 

 a hotter summer and a different season, they may do better in the 

 way of colour and quantity, but hardly in quality. 



One thing I am quite sure of — namely, that it would be good for this 

 country to consume more fruit than it does, and a larger supply of fruit, 

 so long as it is good, will increase the demand ; and not only increase 

 the demand, but will benefit ourselves as well as the Colonial growers. 

 I have always been a partisan of the wholesomeness of fruit. Speak- 

 ing as a layman without medical or scientific knowledge, if I were 

 asked what was the limit of the amount of fruit which was good for 

 anybody, I should answer "His cubic capacity." I do not believe 



