January 16, 1891. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
43 
fifteen counties, as follows :—Northern : Northumberland, Cheshire, 
Salop, and Lincoln. South-Western : Wilts, Gloucester, Hereford, 
Worcester. South-Eastern ; Surrey, Sussex, Kent, Middlesex, Bucks, 
Essex, and Herts. A special framed certificate was awarded for the 
exhibit, together with several certificates of merit, and some of the 
fruit was selected for presentation to Her Majesty the Queen. 
Fruit was also exhibited by the Association at the Crystal Palace on 
October 9th, 10th, and 11th, and at Westminster on Oc^ober luth, 16th, 
and 17th. On October 15th at the place just named Mr. G. Hammond 
read a brief but admirable paper on Apple culture, which was followed 
by an animated and interesting discussion. Mr. G. Gordon presided, 
and the meeting was one of the most satisfactory held during the season. 
Meetings have also been held at Falmouth, Croydon, Ealing, and 
elsewhere, when papers have been read by members of the .Association ; 
but several invitations were received to provide lectures that could not 
possibly be accepted in the past year. 
Since the work of the Association was commenced thirty-six papers 
have been read at its meetings by twenty-two of the leading fruit culti¬ 
vators and authorities in the kingdom, dealing with the following 
subjects :—Apples, Pears, Plums, Cherries, Strawberries, Gooseberries, 
Peaches and Nectarines, Grapes, soil and general culture, pruning, 
packing, fruit distribution, fruit as food, and fruit preserving. 
The meetings have been reported in over 200 daily and weekly 
papers, with an aggregate circulation exceeding 2,000,000, and in addi¬ 
tion most of the papers read have been published in the gardening 
periodicals. The information obtained has thus been most widely 
diffused, and some idea is afforded of the interest excited by the fact 
that over 2000 letters of inquiry were received during the past year, 
ranging from Dundee to Falmouth. 
The greatest care has been exercised in the appointment of lecturers 
and in the revision of the papers to avoid extravagant or misleading 
statements, and to supply what intending cultivators need—practical 
reliable information respecting the best methods of rendering land 
under fruit culture a profitable employment for labour and capital. 
That some effect has been produced is shown by the agricultural returns. 
In 1888 there was a decrease of land under orchards of 3056 acres ; in 
1889 an increase of 719 acres is recorded; in 1890 the increase was 
2408 acres. The increase of acreage under small fruit in 1889 was 
5209 acres; in 1890 it was 4301 acres, showing a total increase under 
fruit for 1889 and 1890 of 12,637 acres. 
Such a rapid increase as this renders the dissemination of reliable 
information and the guidance of an association of practical men, the 
more necessary to counteract the effects of incompetent advice and 
excessive estimates of the profits derivable from this important industry. 
For good British grown fruit there is an unlimited demand, and a high 
authority in Covent Garden Market states that they can never procure 
sufficient first elass fruits ; for inferior samples there is no demand, 
except at very low prices. The points cultivators have to bear in mind, 
therefore, are to seleet the best varieties adapted to their districts ; 
plant and treat the trees well, gather, sort, and pack the fruit carefully, 
send it to the best markets, and they may safely count on fair returns. 
Numerous encouraging letters have been received during the year 
respecting the work undertaken by the Association, and from them the 
following, by the Earl of Fortescue, has been selected as fairly repre¬ 
sentative of the opinions expressed by scores of friends. “ I heartily 
wish you success in your work. I have long been of opinion that fruit 
culture may be largely extended in Great Britain and Ireland with 
advantage to owners and occupiers of land, and to the general public. 
Your Association has been rendering a real public service, both by 
directing attention to fruit culture for profit in this country, and by 
helping to dispel the erroneous ideas too freely circulated respecting the 
enormous returns oblainable from a small capital employed in fruit 
cultivation. Your report truly observes that much harm has been done 
by ill-informed advisers, for fruit growing cannot be made to pay a 
fair profit without practical knowledge of the work, starting with a 
carefully considered scheme, and sound judgment in carrying it out.” 
The Committee have also had other satisfactory assurances of con¬ 
fidence in the course adopted, as handsome donations to the funds of 
the Association have been received from His Grace the Duke of Bedford 
and from Sir Edwin Saunders, while no less than 150 new members 
have been elected since January, 1890. It is, however, the painful duty 
of the Committee to record the loss by death of three well-known and 
widely respected horticulturists-namely, Mr. W. Wildsmith, Mr. W. 
Holmes, and Mr. Shirley Hibberd, all of whom were members of the 
Association, and had taken much interest in its work. 
Reverting to the financial results of this year, the Committee report 
that the total receipts were £68 15s., the total expenditure £66 19s. 2J., 
leaving a cash balance of £1 15s. lOd., and 800 copies of the Strawberry 
Report in stock estimated at £15. After a season of active work it is 
therefore doubly satisfactory to be able to start another year in such a 
good condition, and the Committee accord their best thanks to all who 
have assisted in the work as officers, lecturers, and exhibitors. 
The programme for the present year comprises conferences on fruit 
culture at Cardiff in August in conjunction with the Horticultural 
Society’s Exhibition ; at Edinburgh in September in conjunction with 
the Royal Caledonian Society’s International Exhibition ; at the Crystal 
Palace, Sydenham, in the same month ; and arrangements are also being 
made for holding a conference at one of the meetings of the Royal Horti¬ 
cultural Society of Ireland in Dublin during the year. Committee meet¬ 
ings will be held as usual in the Horticultural Club room. Hotel Windsor, 
Victoria Street, at 5 p.m. on Thursdays, January 8th, February 5th 
March 5th, April 2nd, May 7th, June 4th, July 2nd, August 6th, Septem¬ 
ber 3rd, October Ist, November 24th, and December 17th. 
The preparation of “ A Report upon the Present Condition and 
Prospects of Fruit Culture in Great Britain and Ireland ” has also been 
commenced, but as the work will be a large one it has been decided to 
divide it into sections, the first of which is now in hand. A list of thirty 
qualified lecturers has been prepared, and the Committee undertake to 
make arrangements with local horticultural societies or other bodies 
requiring practical lecturers or demonstrations of fruit culture in any 
part of the kingdom. In response to the wishes of correspondents 
meetings will be held in as many country districts as possible during 
the year. 
The hearty co-operation of all interested in fruit culture is earnestly 
invited, and if this be freely accorded the Committee will have the 
pleasure of recording at the end of 1891 an even greater advance than 
has taken place in the past year. 
After some comments upon the highly favourable character of the 
year’s proceedings. Dr. Masters said that it was remarkable so much had 
been accomplished for such a small expenditure, and had much pleasure 
in moving the adoption of the report and financial statement. This 
was seconded by Mr. Cheal and carried unanimously. 
The election of officers was next proceeded with, the result being 
that Lord Brooke, M.P., was unanimously re-elected President, with 
the following gentlemen as Vice-Presidents :—The Duke of Bedford, Sir 
Charles Barrington, Bart., Sir Edwin Saunders, the Hon. A. L. Pelham, 
Robert Hogg, Esq., LL.D., Maxwell T. Masters, Esq., M.D., Dr. J. 
Stanislaus Makovski, W. B. Waterlow, Esq., G. T. Bait, Esq., J. F. 
Lambard, Esq., J.P., W. H. B. Hall, Esq., C. de Laune Faunce de 
Laune, Esq., Charles Whitehead, Esq., Philip Crowley, Esq., F.R.H.S., 
E. .1. Baillie, Esq., F.L.S. The other officers remained the same as last 
year, and only a few names were added to the Committee. 
Cordial votes of thanks were accorded to the officers. Committee, 
lecturers, exhibitors, and to the Hon. Secretary, Mr. Lewis Castle, for 
his work during the year, a similar recognition being unanimously 
accorded to Dr. Masters for presiding, and this concluded the business 
of the evening. At a Committee meeting held before the annual meet¬ 
ing fifty-nine members were elected, the largest number elected at one 
meeting, and affording substantial indication of the increasing popu¬ 
larity of the Association. 
EARLY TURNIPS. 
In No. 2201 of your Journal Mr. Easty cites a very early Turnip, of 
which he received seed from Messrs. Vilmorin, Andrieux & Co., Paris, 
and of which he does not remember the name. It may interest some of 
your readers to know that the new variety alluded to is sold under the 
name of Half-long White Forcing Turnip (Navet a forcer demi-long 
blanc). It is in shape intermediate between the white Carrot-shaped 
and the Half-long Early White Vertus or Jersey, also known in England 
under the name of Earliest French Forcing Frame, but is much earlier, 
smoother, has fewer leaves, and is a great improvement on those varie¬ 
ties. It is an excellent forcing Turnip, and succeeds best when sown in 
the spring under glass (frame). The leaves are very small, divided, and 
the roots grow remarkably fast. It is also slower in running to seed 
than other early Turnips if grown without any check, producing hand¬ 
some roots at the beginning of the summer when Turnips are scarce, and 
fetch a good price. 
While writing of that Turnip I may as well say a few words on some 
other valuable forcing varieties, which are usually sown in the month of 
February in a cold frame by the French market gardeners. Any market 
gardener forcing Turnips, if the term “forcing” may strictly be applied 
to that plant, most probably knows the extra early purple-top strap¬ 
leaved Milan Turnip, which is one of the earliest varieties, well adapted 
for forcing, and which has almost superseded the old Munich, being 
more regular in shape and of better quality than the latter. The old 
round early white Vertus or Croissy Turnip continues in much favour 
with the Parisian market gardeners for forcing, and it is indeed one of 
the best suited for that purpose. 
The Half-long Early White Vertus or Jersey Turnip, which must have 
been noticed by whoever has gone through our central market (Halles 
Centrales) at almost any time of the year, is still one of the sorts most 
grown around Paris for forcing and in the open ground, and well it 
deserves the preference often given it, the root being formed in the open 
ground in two months or thereabouts, and quality being good when the 
roots are not overgrown. Its root is of about the same shape as the 
China Radish, but the colour is pure white instead of scarlet, as in the 
latter. I remember an intelligent American grower, with whom I one 
day went through the “ Halles Centrales,” asking, on seeing a carloail 
of that Turnip from a little distance, what was the name of that hand¬ 
some, smooth Radish. 
There is another sort, the Half-long Red-top Vertus, differing from 
the ordinary White only by the colour of the top, which is purplish-red 
about one-third above ground, and, on account of its agreeable colour, is 
sometimes preferred to the White Vertus. 
If agreeable to some of your readers, I will give you on a future 
occasion the names of the Lettuces most grown for forcing by the 
Parisian market gardeners, as also some hints regarding that culture. 
E. SCHAETTEL. 
[Many of our readers would no doubt be glad to have details of the 
Parisian market gardeners’ methods of growing early Lettuces.] 
