I was the tii'st to suggest jam being made on the fields, or in close proximity to 
where the fruit liad been grown. This was quickly adopted, and is now a gigantic 
business. 
As ])opular as Dahlias were 60 or 60 years ago, for some reason they fell out of 
public ap'preciation for several seasons, soon after the Floral Committee was 
established at South Kensington, and only the late Mr. C. Turner and myself showed 
them, simply to let the public sec we sold such flow'ers, and also to try and induce the 
world at large to appreciate them again more keenly. This we did, and agreed to 
write to the secretary of the Crystal Falace with a view to holding a show there, and 
also to found a National Dahlia Society. Mr. Flood Page met us, and discussing the 
matter, he very pleasantly said, “ We shall be very pleased to give you every facility 
for holding a show,” and offered us I think it was j£ 50 towards expenses. This was 
the beginning of the great National Dahlia Society, and also how it came to be 
started. 
At the Chrysanthemum Congress, held in the large vinery at Chiswick, I had the 
largest and finest collection ever exhibited in England at that time, and on that 
occasion 1 had on a board a dozen very fine blooms of Etoile de Lyon, which was 
pronounced as a variety too large — not so to-day, however. 
Dahlia, Single Saragon . — I well remember first exhibiting this. When carried 
before the Floral Committee, so great was the teeling against Single Dahlias that J 
heard afterwards it w'as only through Mr. T. Moore, a former editor of the Oardener’s 
Chronicle, that this lovely flower was certificated. 1 had to encounter and contend 
against an enormous amount of prejudice ; however, myself and the beauty of poor 
Paragon overcame it all, and the world has enjoyed it immensely. I also introduced 
and sent out Alha and Picta Formossissima, the former a fine white single, and to 
this day grown and highly valued. The Cactus class I was the first to exhibit and 
sena out under the name of Juarezii. The very same variety is yet grown, its sprawly 
crab-like florets caused it then to be pronounced as utterly useless for the public taste ; 
nevertheless I ultimately got it certificated as a curiosity. I have since raised a great 
number of seedlings, and introduced a great quantity of colours from it, and at this 
date England can boast of even a pure white, yellow, crimson, purple, and a host of 
various coloured kinds, so that at the present time we have many different colours, 
and all of the same attractive shape. Most of this work has been done by me, and 
the evolution of this flower has been wonderful, and should be rewarded ; but 
unfortunately all horticultural work, even if as wonderful as the telegraph, falls flat 
and passes unnoticed when once obtained— all “ ’spect they growed, like Topsy.” 
For above 40 years 1 have been raising seedling Zonal Pelargoniums so as to 
improve that dower, and have succeeded to a wonderful extent. For 25 years 
1 have be(>n siiowing and proving that the Zonal yields more flowers and colour 
during three of the dullest and darkest months in v^inter than any other plant. 
Our exhibits all over (freat Britain are said by everyone to be wonderful, and they 
alwa\'s claim chief attraction, yet our judges pass them by as they do an “old boss,” 
although Mr. Fry, the oldest exhibitor, says “ Our exhibits are wonderful.” In 
France and Jlelgium they give gold medals, not a sham promise. Had I resided there 
instead of England, doubtless I should have had a just reward. Certainly not more 
than one in the trade has exhibited more regularly and more remarkable exhibits durine: 
the last 35 years than Cannell. The same may be said of introducing new and good 
plants, too numerous to mention. 
1 can also lay claim without fear of contradiction to a good deal respecting 
the improvement of vegetables. My Pea English Wonder is pronounced the best 
dwarf early variety in cidtivation, some going so far as to say w'e require no other, 
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