September 4, 1890. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
199 
will do very well if not made of deal or any strong smelling wood, 
If not intended for keeping more than a month, the fruits may be 
three or four deep if carefully put down, but if space allows they 
are much the best in single layers, especially some kinds which 
sweat ” very much soon after they are gathered. If intended for 
keeping any length of time provision must be made when storing 
for examination once a week. In such cases they should only be 
stored one layer deep, and it is best to fit up shelves to lay them on 
just wide enough to admit of easy examination without moving the 
fruit. Never store any small or deformed fruit, they should be 
■sold when gathered to the cider makers or hawkers. It is a good 
plan in frosty weather to spread sheets of newspaper all over the 
Apples. These assist in protecting the fruit, and if there is any 
-danger of frost getting in the room, some petroleum lamps or gas 
stoves should be lighted, so as to keep the temperature above 36° 
and under 40°, as many varieties are quite spoiled if frozen 
severely.—W. H. Divers. 
(To be continued.) 
THE BRITISH FRUIT GROWERS’ ASSOCIATION. 
A meeting of the Executive Committee of the above Association 
was held in the Horticultural Club Room, Hotel Windsor, Victoria 
Street, S.W., at 5 p.m. on Thursda}', August 28tb, Mr. T. F. Rivers in 
the chair. After the minutes of the previous meeting had been read 
and confirmed, the Hon. Secretary presented the following report with 
regard to the business transacted since the July meeting. 
The Strawberry Report. —In accordance with the resolution of the 
'Committee the report of the Strawberry Exhibition and Conference in 
St. Stephen’s Hall, Westminster, on June 27th last has been printed in 
book form and distributed free to all members. It is also on sale to the 
general public, andean be had post free for Is. from Mr. Lewis Castle, 
Hotham House, Merton, Surrey. In addition to the complete historical 
and cultural information embodied in the papers read at the Confer¬ 
ence, a chapter has been incorporated on Strawberry Forcing by an 
experienced cultivator. Many letters have been received expressing 
much satisfaction with the Association’s first publication. 
The Leicester Conference. —At the Leicester Conference on August 
T>th, the programme as arranged was carried out to the letter. James 
Ellis, Esq., M.P., occupied the chair, and Messrs. Rivers, Ingram, Pear¬ 
son, and Bunyard read the papers announced. Several members of the 
Association journeyed a considerable distance to be present, and the 
Conference was attended by over 200 persons, the Chairman being 
supported by the Mayor of Leicester, Dr. Lankester. A Committee of 
the Town Council had made the necessary arrangements for the Con¬ 
ference, having placed a large tent at the disposal of the Association. 
The readers of papers and officials were also entertained at lunch by the 
Mayor and Committee. Special thanks are due to the Abbey Tark 
Superintendent, Mr. J. Burn, for the assistance rendered in the arrange¬ 
ments of what proved to be a very satisfactory gathering. 
The Irish Tour. —In regard to the inspection of fruit culture in 
Ireland the delegates, Messrs. Castle and Gordon, left Leicester in the 
evening of August 5th, proceeding direct to Ireland via Stranraer and 
Larne. Investigations were commenced in the counties of Londonderry 
and Antrim, and continued thence south to Cork and Kerry, taking all 
the principal districts in the way. They a’so proceeded to Limerick, 
and returned to Dublin, where they were received by the Council of 
the Royal Horticultural Society of Ireland, who have promised every 
assistance in collecting any further information required to complete 
the report. The outline report to be presented at the Crystal Palace on 
September 5th will comprise the chief subjects that will be dealt with 
more fully in the official report to be published later on. It is only 
necessary to say here that thousands of acres of fine land suitable for 
fruit culture were inspected, and that fruits, especially Apples, were 
good, succeeding even under the worst treatment, from the extreme 
north to the south ; that good culture was seen in a few instances, and 
the results there were as satisfactory as anywhere in England, and that 
imported fruit had a large place in the shops and markets of the 
principal towns, proving the existence of a demand for fruit. The 
delegates experienced much courteous attention during the journey, and 
the objects received the hearty approval of all with whom it was 
discussed. 
Sir Charles B. Barrington, Glenstal Castle, Limerick, having kindly 
consented to become a Vice-President of the Association, was unani¬ 
mously elected to that office. Votes of thanks were also unanimously 
accorded to Mr. James Ellis, Dr. Lankester, Mr. Burn, and other 
officials at Leicester, who have assisted so greatly in the arrangements 
for the Conference. 
The following programme was adopted for the Conference to be 
held at the Crystal Palace, Sydenham, on Friday, September 5th next, 
at 3.30 p.m. 
Subjects. 
Fruits in Ireland, by Mr. Lewis Castle and Mr. George Gordon. 
Peaches and Nectarines, by Mr. T. Francis Rivers. 
Plums for Market, by Mr. J. Smith, gardener to the Earl of 
Rosebery, Mentmore. 
Cherries for Market, by Mr. G. Bunyard. 
Exhibits of Apples and other fruits from Ireland are promised. 
The Brighton Conference will be held in the King’s Room, Royal 
Pavilion, on September 11th, at 4 p.m., the Mayor of Brighton in the 
chair. This will be the second day of the annual Autumn Show under 
the management of Mr. Edward Carpenter, and a good display of fruit 
is expected. TVUTr 
s [Subjects. 
General Fruit Culture, by;Mr. T. F. Rivers. 
Grapes for Market, by Mr. J. Roberts. 
Tomatoes for Profit, by Mr. W. Iggulden. 
Wall Fruit, by Mr. R. Smith. 
Members’ tickets admit to the Brighton Show and Conference. 
GENISTA CAPITATA. 
Under the above name specimens of an attractive hardy little plant 
of shrubby habit were exhibited early in the present season at one of 
the Royal Horticultural Society’s meetings, and concerning its useful¬ 
ness there can be no question, whether the name be aptly applied or 
not. A variety of Genista umbellata has been named capitata, distin¬ 
guished from the species by the silky hair clothing the branches and 
leaves, and said to be a native of Mogador. It was also described as 
Sparcium capitatum, and appears to be the plant shown at the meeting 
in question, and of which an illustration is given in fig. 25. The leaves 
are trifoliate, the bright yellow flower in compact terminal heads, and 
are produced freely. The species is a native of Barbarv, being found on 
dry hills. A Genista quite distinct from the above has appeared in 
gardens under the name of G. umbellata. which has been assigned a 
place among the varieties of G. lusitanica, a spiny shrub, native of 
Portugal. __ 
PEACHES AND NECTARINES. 
New borders must have efficient drainage, the bottom of the border 
being concreted if the stratum beneath be unfavourable. Gravel free 
of clay or loam, or an unbinding gravel consisting of pebbles with 
sand and an eighth of stone lime well burned, form an admirable con- 
