October 9, 1890. J 
■JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
805 
A FTER the remarkable display of Apples and Pears this week 
./l in the historical building indicated it will be impossible for 
anyone to sustain the allegation that British fruit of the first size, 
colour, and quality cannot be grown in British soil. In no 
fruiterer’s shop in London, where the best obtainable specimens are 
procured from various parts of the vorld, could such Apples be 
found as those represented in hundreds of dishes at the Exhibition 
in question. No doubt a few of the most striking specimens, such 
as Mr. Samuel Barlow’s magnificent Peasgood’s Nonesuch (the finest 
•ever seen at a show), were grown with the aid of glass, but leaving 
them entirely out of comparison there was more than enough of 
genuine outdoor-grown fruit to prove to demonstration that the 
resources of this kingdom are equal to the production of hardy 
fruits of the highest order of excellence, and with which the most 
exacting critics could find no fault. 
Only a very few years ago such an exhibition as the one under 
notice could not have been provided either in the London Guild¬ 
hall or anywhere else in this country, and it is clear that earlier 
efforts in improving the supply of home-grown fruit are beginning 
to tell. It is most gratifying to observe the advance that has been 
made, and we look forward hopefully to its extension over every 
part of the kingdom in which the requisite concrete conditions exist 
for the profitable culture of useful fruits. The improvement already 
effected, though distinctly marked, is mainly limited to gardens, 
nurseries, and fruit farms managed by skilled cultivators. This 
is only what might be expected under the circumstances, and is 
-satisfactory as proving what can be done by good management. 
We trace the better production of Apples to the Congress held 
in the Royal Horticultural Society’s Gardens at Chiswick in 1883. 
As the immediate result of that event, large numbers of trees of 
well chosen varieties were planted ; but only professional men, 
with trifling exceptions, either visited the great national display of 
Apples on that occasion, or benefited by the information given in 
ahe report, and through the gardening press. We are convinced 
i,hat the Royal Horticultural Society never did more good than 
by its fruit congresses and conferences, and the Society must be 
acknowledged as the pioneer in the improvement of fruit culture 
in the United Kingdom. But its influence could not, for obvious 
reasons, directly reach a large section of the community who 
might grow fruit with advantage to their families, instead of either 
going without or buying the produce of other lands, for it is an 
astounding fact that the inhabitants of many country towns and 
villages have during recent years been practically supplied with 
imported Apples. We have done all that was in our power to 
disseminate the good work of the Society, and shall hope to do 
more, and we shall similarly render what aid we can to other 
agencies that well and worthily 7 engage in a movement that is 
calculated to be of benefit to individuals and the nation at large. 
When Sir James Whitehead was Lord Mayor of London last 
year he made fruit culture a theme of many eloquent discourses. 
He was the first Lord Mayor who gave the weight of his high 
authority to the subject ; the first also, we believe, who imposed 
the condition that the presentation of fruit in accordance with 
ancient custom from the Fruiterers’ Company at the Mansion 
House should consist entirely 7 of home-grown produce, and a splen- 
, did contribution it was. With the object of continuing his efforts 
No, 537.— Yol. XXL, Third Series. 
as effectively as possible in the cause of hardy fruit culture in the 
homesteads of the United Kingdom, he joined the Livery of 
the Fruiterers’ Company, and was elected to the position of 
Master the first year. He then took up the idea that had been 
considered by Mr. II. R. Williams and friends of having a great 
show of home-grown fruit in the City, a project that was well 
received by the civic authorities. He believed that by showing 
the wealthy citizens what could be done in the growth of fruit 
he would enlist their sympathy, and so gain an accession of 
strength and influence to the Guild, which is not like some other 
City companies—rich. Taking as his basis of action the promo¬ 
tion of hardy fruit culture in the cottage gardens and homesteads, 
he obtained the patronage of Her Majesty, and other distinguished 
persons. He also sought the co-operation of practical men, 
and the outcome of their efforts was a show that may fairly be 
described as extraordinary. Not only was the noble building 
filled with fruit, but the art galleries were crowded, and the old 
city council chamber with corridors had to be requisitioned. Up¬ 
wards of 7000 square superficial feet of tabling were occupied, 
and 4500 plates used. The display exceeded the most sanguine 
expectations, and the throng of visitors will not soon be forgotton 
by those who were in the crowd. Every portion of the space was 
packed, and hundreds could not gain admittance when the Lord 
Mayor in state opened the Show on Monday afternoon. All day 
on Tuesday the Show was similarly thronged, and so it continued 
to be till the hour of closing on Wednesday evening. 
Generally speaking the fruit was of high excellence, and in 
some of the classes the competition was very severe. In the class 
in which the gold, silver-gilt, and silver medals were offered GOO 
dishes were staged. Mr. Barlow had the champion dish, his fivo 
Apples of Peasgood’s Nonesuch weighing 8 lbs. 14 ozs., yet he 
failed to win one of the medals, but was awarded an extra prize. 
This will indicate the superior character of the exhibits. In the 
south-eastern zone alone there were twenty-six entries of twelve 
dishes of dessert Apples, thirty-four of twelve cooking Apples, 
and forty-four of three dishes of dessert and three of culinary. 
There were nineteen collections of fruit from nurserymen, which 
made an imposing display, and a remarkably good and very in¬ 
teresting collection from the Royal Horticultural Society. We 
publish the prize list as supplied to us officially, and such notes of 
the fruit as could be obtained under circumstances of difficulty. 
The weakest part of the Show was in the cottagers’ and tenant 
farmers’ classes, and this proves the necessity for the effort being 
made in their interests. They, however, staged between 300 and 
400 dishes, and some most creditable samples of Apples and Pears. 
The Show is calculated to do a great amount of good in the direc¬ 
tion intended, and it was most pleasant to see the countenance 
given to it by the Royal Horticultural Society, the respected 
Secretary of the Society and Superintendent of Chiswick being 
both exhibitors and Judges. This is the best answer to the some¬ 
what undignified and absolutely groundless suggestions that the 
undertaking was in some way antagonistic to the Society. The 
Royal Horticultural Society is doing as much as it can do, and both 
it and the Fruiterers’ Company will each, in their way, and in 
mutual friendliness, do a great deal for fruit culture in gardens 
large and small over the length and breadth of the land. 
We give on page 315 an illustration, speedily prepared, of the 
Guildhall Fruit Show, also a portrait of Sir James Whitehead, Bart., 
the Chairman of the Executive Committee, this latter being supplied 
to us with the compliments of Mr. H. Cannell, as prepared by him 
on the occasion of a visit of Sir James to the nursery at Swanley. 
The present is, we believe, the third occasion on which the 
Guildhall has been occupied by horticulturists, the first being by 
a flower show, which led to the establishment of the United Horti¬ 
cultural Benefit and Provident Society in 1866 ; and the second, by 
a banquet in connection with the International Horticultural Show 
also in 1866. The City authorities and various Guildhall officials gave 
No. 2193 .—Yol. LXXXIII., Old Series. 
