July 16, 1891. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
37 
I F hardy fruit culture is not revolutionised in this country 
in the course of a few years it will not be through lack of 
endeavour on the part of individuals and organisations taking an 
interest in the subject. Many times and oft have we directed 
attention to the exhausted orchards and patriarchal trees which 
have too long been relied on to afford produce for the consuming 
population. The average standard of quality of our home-grown 
fruit had become deplorably low, and the higgledy-piggledy mixture 
of varieties, the majority of them worthless, and the rough and 
reckless methods of handling and marketing the crops, rendered 
the produce untempting and of comparatively little worth. Time 
after time have we directed attention to these cardinal defects until 
at last public interest became aroused, and now the tide has turned. 
Nurserymen and amateurs, societies and companies, growers, 
showers, and philanthropists appear to be vieing with each other as 
to who and which can do the most in “ carrying it to the flood that 
leads to fortune.” But it will not bring fortunes to all who rush 
headlong into the work of planting trees that they fondly hope will 
certainly and soon give them golden harvests. Knowledge is the 
first essential to success. 
We are glad to see the wholesome, friendly, stimulating rivalry 
now existing. It is a healthy sign. No great good is done by 
monopolists, except to themselves. If all the nurseries in the 
kingdom were rolled into one trees would neither be better nor 
cheaper, but somewhat the reverse. They are better as they are 
for the greatest number, and not worse for those who are compelled 
by the powerful law of competition to conduct them so well, and 
thus benefit, as they should, by their enterprise and skill. Similarly 
in the fruit crusade the most good will be done by the different 
agencies working separately, yet in harmony towards the achieve¬ 
ment of a common object for the benefit of the whole community. 
The work in which so many are worthily engaging is of national 
importance. Fruit well grown in every garden in the land that 
is suited to its production, would of necessity enhance the wealth of 
the nation to the advantage of cultivators as well as the great multi¬ 
tude of consumers in our cities and towns. We wish well to all 
who are honestly and disinterestedly sharing in a work which is so 
good in itself, and if wisely conducted will be of service to 
many. 
The season’s crusade opened under bright auspices on Monday 
last, when the greatest and most important meeting yet held on 
the fruit question assembled in the Egyptian Hall of the Mansion 
House, under the presidency of the Lord Mayor of London. This 
is a distinct step in advance, and the work had the immediate 
countenance of the Minister for Agriculture, the Right Hon. 
Henry Chaplin. It was brought about by the influence of an 
ancient City Company — the Fruiterers’—which has become 
revivified, and is now working with the energy of youth. The 
present Master of the Company, Sir James Whitehead, Bart., gave 
great prominence to the fruit question during his mayoralty, and a 
past Master of the Fruiterers’ Company, Mr. H. R. Williams, gave 
his powerful support to the movement. With the object of afford¬ 
ing the citizens of London ocular demonstration of the fact that 
the most important hardy fruits, Apples and Pears, can be 
grown at home as well as abroad by those who understand their 
cultivation, it was determined to provide a Show in the Guildhall 
No. 577.— Vol. XXIII., Third Series. 
last year. Its success was overwhelming, and its effect so great as 
to command the attention of the City authorities, and the highest 
and most influential personages in the kingdom. Thus it was 
that the Mansion House was opened to fruit groweis and patrons 
to encourage them in their work and to pass resolutions, having 
for their object the providing of means for the dissemina¬ 
tion of knowledge in aiding occupants of land to devote a 
portion of it to fruit culture under the guidance of competent 
advisers. 
The Lord Mayor in giving countenance to the movement 
adverted to the use of fruit as a wholesome article of diet, and 
expressed the hope that the supply would be both increased and 
improved. Mr. Chaplin delivered a very practical speech, and 
adduced authoritative statistics showing that millions of money were 
lost to this country by negligence or apathy in dairy and poultry 
management, then passed to the subject of fruit. Respecting the 
value of the importations he wisely discriminated between the fruits 
that could and could not be profitably grown in this country. 
Misleading statements to the effect that fruit to the value of 
£8,000,009 was imported that might be grown at home were so 
often repeated two or three years ago that we felt it our duty to 
correct them, and stated on March 7th, 1889, that the foreign 
trade with which our fruit growers could successfully compete 
was much nearer £1,000,000 than £8,000,000 in annual value, and 
we showed that the average value of the importation of Apples 
over a period of six years then ending was £750,000. Mr. Chaplin 
estimates the value of such imported fruits last year as can 
be grown in this country at £1,200,000, of these Apples being 
valued at 800,000. Thu3 what we said two years ago the 
Minister of Agriculture confirms. The value of imported Apples 
last year was £50,000 above the average, this being accounted for 
by the comparative failure of our crops. It is prudent to recog¬ 
nise the contingencies to which fruit is liable ; but failures from 
differing causes occur abroad, and do not deter from further 
effort, neither should they deter at home, but all should strive 
who have the means to grow more and better fruit. Mr. Chaplin 
moved, and Lord Egerton of Tatton seconded, the following 
resolution, which was passed unanimously :— 
“ That in the opinion of this meeting vigorous efforts should 
be made to restore the orchards, and promote the extension of 
hardy fruit cultivation in our homesteads and cottage gardens, 
and that the Lord Mayor be invited to open a subscription list 
with the object of obtaining the necessary funds to enable the 
Fruiterers’ Company to carry out their purpose.” 
Sir James Whitehead, in supporting the resolution, indicated 
the methods of procedure. He thought that in promoting their 
present object they should follow the lines of the Royal Agricul¬ 
tural Society to a very great extent. They proposed to hold 
annual exhibitions in different parts of the country ; to obtain the 
co-operation of local societies ; to give prizes, medals, and certifi¬ 
cates ; and to organise a system of lectures by competent, practical 
men, who would give demonstrations both oral and ocular, and 
spread information as to the best positions for orchards and fruit 
trees, as to soils, pruning, and the treatment of insects and grubs, 
and as to the best means of making jams and preserves for winter 
use. For these objects they wanted public approbation and sub¬ 
scriptions. 
On the proposition of the Baroness Burdett Coutts, who made 
a sympathetic and much-appreciated speech, an influential Com 
mittee was appointed, consisting of various noblemen, the Lord 
Mayor, Masters of City Companies, members of the Court of the 
Fruiterer’s Company, and their pomological advisers (Messrs. G. 
Bunyard, J. Cheal, A. H. Smee, T. F. Rivers, and J. Wright) to 
take steps for carrying out the foregoing resolution. 
The medal and certificates awarded at the Guildhall Show 
were presented to the successful competitors, and a hearty vote of 
thanks to the Lord Mayor closed the first and highly successful 
No. 2233.—Vol. LXXXV., Old Series. 
