-July 3, 1890. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
3 
•colour. It has been found useful as an early Strawberry, possessing a 
rather brisker flavour than the parent variety. A medal was awarded 
to Mr. Sharpe by the B.F.G.A. for his interesting exhibit. 
Cultural commendations were accorded to the following exhibitors—■ 
Mr. C. Goldsmith, gardener to W. B. Waterlow, Esq.. High Trees, Red 
Hill, had a box of sixty grand fruits of Sir Joseph Paxton, and one of 
‘Vicomtesse Hericart de Thury, both handsome examples. Mr. Ridge- 
well, Histon Road, near Cambridge, showed a collection com¬ 
prising good fruits of the following, with the dates of ripening 
attached—Auguste Nicaise, June lltli ; Unser Fritz, June 12th ; 
Eleanor, Captain, June 20th ; Sir J. Paxton, June 16th ; Presi¬ 
dent, June 18th ; Noble, June 7th ; Countess, June 20th ; British 
<Queen, June 23rd ; James Veitcb, June 15th; King of the Earlies, 
June 5th; Marguerite, June 12th ; Pauline, June 11th; and In¬ 
comparable, a variety raised from Keens’ Seedling, probably 
•crossed with Goliath, and which Mr. Ridgewell describes as a 
useful variety which he has grown for some time. Six punnets 
of Sir J. Paxton, as sent to market, were also shown, with twelve 
punnets of Gooseberries. Mr. E. Butts, Le'gham Court Gardens, 
Htreatham, showed two dishes of Vicomtesse Hericart de Thury, 
excellent fruits, even, and of capital flavour. Mr. Allis, Old 
Warden Park Gardens, Biggleswade, exhibited two dishes of Noble 
and Marguerite, the fruit extremely fine in both cases. Mr. W. 
Bates, The Gardens, Poulett Lodge, Twickenham, showed good 
fruits of Lucas, President, James Veitch, Noble, and Sir Joseph 
Paxton. Mr. G. W . Cummins, gardener to A. H. Smee, Esq., The 
Orange, Wallington, sent dishes of King of the Earlies, Keens’ 
Seedling, President, Sir J. Paxton, and Vicomtesse H. de Thury, 
all represented by good fruit ; and Mr. Wythes, gardener to the 
Duke of Northumberland, Syon House, Brentford, showed dishes 
•of James Veitch, President, Sir J. Paxton, Keens’ Seedling, Noble, 
Vicomtesse H. de Thury, Dr. Hogg, and Sir Harry. Mr. W. Taylor, 
Osborn Nursery, Hampton, had three fine dishes of Grove End 
Scarlet, President, and Sir C. Napier. 
Votes of thanks were adjudged to all exhibitors, including the 
following not already mentioned :—Messrs. Paul & Son, Cheshunt, 
for La Grosse Sucr6e, President, Vicomtesse H. de Thury, Noble, 
A. F. Barron, Pauline, Sir J. Paxton, Commander, and King of 
the Earlies ; Messrs. Saltmarsh & Son, Chelmsford, contributed 
Noble, Luca3, Commander, James Veitch, President, and Sir Joseph 
Paxton; Mr. J. Watkins, Hereford, showed a very interesting 
collection, comprising seventeen varieties, including, in addition 
to those already mentioned, Sharpless, Dr. Hogg, Auguste Nicaise, 
Comte de Paris, Stirling Castle, and the Captain ; Messrs. G. 
Bunyard & Co., Maidstone, sent nine dishes of fine fruits ; Mr. 
T. Laxton, Bedford, showed a large collection of his own and 
other varieties, with several very promising seedlings. The fruits 
were arranged in neat square baskets with a folding handle. 
Messrs. H. Cannell & Sons, Swanley, sent two peck baskets of 
*8ir J. Paxton, gathered at Swanley and Eynsford respectively, and 
showing the way in which the fruits are sent to market from Kent. 
No packing is used, and the rim of the basket is turned inwards an 
inch or two, so that the baskets can be placed on the top of each 
other without injury to the fruit. Messrs. Cheal <Si Son, Crawley, also 
Fig. 2.—Magnolia parviflora. (Section.) 
showed fruits of Sir J. Paxton and Marguerite. Altogether Sir J. 
Paxton was shown by twelve exhibitors, and Noble by eleven. 
Mr. J. Webber, Covent Garden Market, exhibited samples of Straw¬ 
berries from Kent, Middlesex, Essex, Lyme Regis, and Southampton. 
Mr. G. Gordon, Gunnersbury, contributed specimens of Fragaria elitior, 
F. virginiana, F. virginiana variegata, F. lucida, F. calycina, and F. vesca 
monophylla, which afforded much interest. 
THE CONFERENCE. 
The Conference proceedings in St. Stephen’s Hall were opened at 
5 P.M. by T. Francis Rivers, Esq, who occupied the chair. The pro- 
1 gramme comprised the following subjects :—“ The Origin of the Culti¬ 
vated Strawberry,” by Mr. Shirley Hibberd ; <! The Culture of Garden 
Strawberries,” by Mr. J. Wright; “The Market Culture of Straw¬ 
berries,” by Mr. G. Bunyard ; and “ Seedling Strawberries,” by Mr. T. 
Laxton. So full a programme with the attendant discussion occupied 
considerable time, but when the customary votes of thanks to the 
readers of the papers, the Chairman, and Vice-Chairman (Messrs. Rivers 
and Gordon) were proposed, all expressed themselves thoroughly satisfied 
with the business of the day. Mr. Rivers introduced the lecturers with 
: the following remarks. 
OPENING ADDRESS. 
It is two years since I had the honour of presiding at the first 
meeting of the British Fruit Growers’ Association held at the Crystal 
Palace, and the honour of again presiding is a privilege and a great 
gratification, as our continued meetings show that our work has not 
been fruitless. You will remember that at our first meeting we were 
successful in drawing public attention to the fact that a national 
industry was in some danger of being neglected as not being of suffi¬ 
cient importance to be worthy of consideration as an industry. The 
steady increase of population and of wealth has, however, decided this 
point. Although orchard fruit cannot be depended on as annual 
tainty, this production is a profitable occupation when carried on with 
care and skill. The statistics furnished by the agricultural returns 
show a steady increase year by year in the number of acres devoted to 
fruit culture ; this is a very encouraging sign. I think, however, that 
these returns do not apply to the increase of orchards on farms, but to 
the fact that professional fruit growers are enlarging their plantations. 
As these gentlemen would not plant without a reasonable prospect of 
profit we may infer that they are satisfied with the results. There is, 
however, another phase of the question which is purely agricultural ; 
there is no doubt that on too many farms the orchards are not in a state 
of decline but of decay. I venture to think that this unhappy con¬ 
dition is produced not from unwillingness to plant, but from the very 
mistaken idea that orchard trees will last not only a man’s life but that 
of his children and grandchildren. “ It will last my time and theirs 
