October 25, 1838. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
373 
"IVT O matter what may be said or thought on the lack of earnest- 
1'1 ness nowadays in the cause of horticulture as compared with 
-the energy of its representatives in past times, the events of last 
week were quite sufficient to indicate that only opportunities are 
desired for showing that the old spirit of devotion to the work of 
■cultivation has not departed, but is as active as ever. This was 
proved to demonstration. When we find cultivators at no small 
trouble, and not without expense to themselves, collecting and 
sending samples of fruit from various parts of the kingdom, and 
■communicating information thereon of substantial value, without a 
"thought of pecuniary recompense, but with the sole object of help¬ 
ing forward an important movement; when we find gentlemen 
-come from two to four hundred miles to read papers, and 
specialists, wherever they may reside, giving their time and their 
talents in furtherence of fruit cultivation and distribution ; when 
we find committees and censors rendering their services willingly 
•and gratuitously, and without even expecting or receiving thanks 
for their endeavours ; when we find gardeners and others assem¬ 
bling, if not “in their thousands,” yet in such numbers as to 
form a great dense crowd, hanging on the utterances of the 
speakers, taking part in animating discussions, cheering good 
points and passing good resolutions ; when we find all this, as we 
found it at Chiswick on the occasion of the Apple and Pear Con¬ 
ference, at least three important facts appear to stand out bold and 
•clear. 1, That the horticultural spirit is very much alive and 
horticultural enterprise increasing. 2, That the Royal Horticul¬ 
tural Society has many friends—staunch, true, and willing to work 
for it and the objects for which it exists. 3, That Chiswick has 
not lost its charm on the horticultural community, but is an 
attracting power when used as a field of operations for the promo¬ 
tion of objects of scientific and practical value in accordance with 
the instincts of the gardening community. 
The deductions that appear to be the not unnatural outcome of 
those facts are these—1, That earnestness in action in the fulfil¬ 
ment of definite objects of substantial horticultural value be en¬ 
couraged. 2, That the Council of the Royal Horticultural Society 
make use of its friends, and not count them as enemies if their 
zeal in its interest impels them to move a step onward now and 
then beyond the prescribed lines. 3, That Chiswick be made, as 
far as it is possible to make it, the seat and the centre of scientific) 
practical, and experimental horticulture, on a broad basis for 
national purposes. Until action has been taken on those lines, and 
pursued earnestly and perseveringly, it cannot be known to what 
•extent support will be rendered to the Society by the horticultural 
community. It may be said by the Council, as it was said by one 
of its members (Mr. Smee) at the close of the last meeting. We 
are quite willing, and even desirous, of developing the resources of 
Chiswick, but this can only be done by an increase of Fellows and 
funds. There has been an increase of Fellows, but Chiswick has, 
so far, not apparently benefited. There has been no surplus for 
that purpose. It is for the Council to consider if a reduction 
cannot be made in administrative charges, which would be tanta¬ 
mount to an increase of Fellows, and it can scarcely be doubted 
that more would follow as the result of a determination to make 
Chiswick the first object of consideration. At present work there 
cannot be done well and systematically. 
No. 435.— Vol. XVIIi, Third Series. 
There was no mistaking the desire of the Conference meetings, 
which were not composed of a body of mere sightseers, that a change 
should be instituted. So certain were some half dozen men who 
move among the multitude of gauging the feeling of the majority 
of those who are either Fellows of the Society or deeply interested 
in the work it ought to do, that no difficulty was felt in formulating 
resolutions expressing their wishes. One of these was passed with 
only four dissentients, and it is practically certain there would not 
have been one if it had not been put as an amendment to a 
motion of a restrictive nature dealing with railway charges for fruit. 
The passing of those resolutions was one of the most important 
results of the Conference, and as such they demand prominence, 
and are certain to receive the serious attention of the Council. 
The resolution framed by Mr. Hibberd was not concerted, and 
as will be seen is of wide scope. It was seconded by Mr. J. Corner, 
and is as follows : — 
“ That a conspicuous result of the Conference this day con¬ 
cluded is to make it evident that the subject of commercial fruit 
culture is one of great and growing public interest, and that there 
exists a corresponding desire to remove or modify the various 
impediments that law, usage, and misconception of facts have 
created and sustained against it. The Royal Horticultural Society, 
having special facilities for obtaining and diffusing information on 
all that relates to horticulture, this Conference respectfully requests 
the appointment by the Council of a Law and Parliamentary Com¬ 
mittee for the consideration of the impediments above referred to.” 
Mr. Tallerman then moved as an addendum, “ That in the event of 
the Committee being appointed, this Conference desires to urge the 
early consideration of the question of railway charges a3 affecting 
the growers of fruit and vegetables.” This was seconded by Mr. 
P. Crowley, and also passed. 
The remaining resolution was prepared by Messrs. J. Wright 
and B. Wynne, members of the Fruit and Floral Committees re¬ 
spectively, in consultation with Mr. G-. Bunyard as a representative 
nurseryman, and Mr. M. Dunn of Dalkeith as a representative 
provincial gardener. After being printed it was revised and ex¬ 
panded by Dr. Maxwell T. Masters, F.R.S., and received his prompt 
and powerful support. It was to have been proposed by Mr. E. J. 
Baillie, F.L.S. (of Messrs. Dickson, Chester, Limited), but that 
gentleman had to leave immediately after reading his excellent 
paper, at the close of which he expressed the pleasure he had in 
attending the Conference, and he “thought that the Royal Horti¬ 
cultural Society should be made the centre of a national education 
for the promotion and advancement of horticulture. It seemed to 
him that there were resources at the command of the Council 
which could not be got in any other centre in England, and it was 
almost a disgrace, if not a disaster, that the best use nationally 
should not be made of them.” These sentiments were much 
applauded. 
Mr. Dunn then rose to propose the resolution that was in the 
hands of most of the audience, and had a warm reception. He 
congratulated the Society on the success of the important gather¬ 
ing, the particulars of which would be read with satisfaction by 
gardeners all over the kingdom. He was not a Fellow of the 
Society because its proceedings were not of sufficient importance to 
him and provincial gardeners generally, but if Chiswick were 
turned to the best account, and conferences of this useful nature 
held periodically, information of value to all would be obtained, 
and he would then have pleasure in joining the Society, doing all 
that he possibly could for it, and he had no doubt others would do 
the same who did not at present belong to it for the reasons above 
stated. Here is the resolution :— 
“In view of the great public advantages that have accrued from 
the previous Conferences held in these gardens, and the marked 
success of the present one, members of the Executive Committee 
of this Conference, Fellows of the Royal Horticultural Society, 
and other horticulturists here assembled, who are deeply interested 
in the Society’s welfare and in the important question of developing 
the progress of scientific and economic horticulture, including 
especially the fruit-growing capabilities of the country, respectfully 
No. 2091 .—Vol. LXXIX., Old Series. 
