332 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ October 15 1891. 
Company, under the very able guidance of Sir James Whitehead their 
Master. Having mentioned that the Royal Horticultural Society had 
recently issued, at the smallest possible cost, a pamphlet on the subject 
of hardy fruit culture, he expressed the belief that the great want of 
the present day was to bring the producer into direct contact with the 
consumer. If this were accomplished it would, he thought, give a great 
impetus to fruit growing throughout the country. 
The Lord Mayor next proposed the toast of the evening, “The 
Worshipful Company of Fruiterers.” He said that by an ancient 
and much-valued custom, it had been the practice from time imme¬ 
morial for the Lord Mayor for the time being to receive from the 
hands of the Fruiterers’ Company some baskets of the choicest fruits 
of the season, and the Lord Mayor had had the privilege subsequently 
of entertaining the Fruiterers’ Company. That custom had grown up 
from year to year, but of recent years it had developed considerably 
owing to the activity and the energy displayed by one who preceded 
him only two or three years ago in the civic chair, Sir James White- 
head. During his year of office he conceived a great desire to promote 
fruit-growing in England, and he displayed so much enthusiasm on the 
subject that he was elected first on the Court, and subsequently—he 
believed at the same time—Master of the Fruiterers’ Company. No 
doubt many who had preceded him had been interested in the subject. 
But he believed that the great advance which had been made in fruit¬ 
growing during the past and the present year was greatly owing to the 
energy and the determination of his friend Sir James Whitehead. The 
object of the Company of which he was the Master was to promote 
fruit-growing throughout the land. When they looked at the fruit on 
their tables and in their gardens, speaking, as it did, so beautifully and 
yet so silently of the love of that Creator who had sent it as a blessing 
to mankind, surely it reminded them that they had often forgotten their 
duty in cultivating that which He had given them for their benefit and 
for their use. He believed that we had in England gardens which were 
as good as those of any nation in the world. He believed we had as 
good soil as any other country possessed. It only needed care and 
attention to bring our fruit trees to perfection, and he believed that if 
they gave that attention to it their efforts would be crowned with 
success. He rejoiced to think that the efforts of the Fruiterers’ 
Company were being seconded in various directions by the Royal 
Horticultural Society, and also by the Gardeners’ Company, which had 
recently aroused itself to a state of activity. 
Alderman Sir James Whitehead, in response, said, it was to him a 
very great pleasure to be associated with the Fruiterers’ Company at a 
period in its existence when it was probably doing more active and 
useful work than had ever been performed by the Company in its pre¬ 
vious career. The efforts of the Fruiterers’ Company just ended were 
mainly of an educational character, and it was satisfactory to them to 
feel that in the work they were endeavouring to perform they not only 
had the countenance, and the assistance also, of the Royal Horticul¬ 
tural Society—represented that evening so ably by Sir Trevor Lawrence— 
but also of the British Fruit Growers’ Association, many members of 
which were also present with them. He ventured to say to Sir Trevor 
that something more was wanted in the promotion of fruit culture than 
the issue of pamphlets. So far as his observation went it was necessary 
in different localities to give not only educational instruction, but 
object lessons also. And in the promotion of that idea the Fruiterers’ 
Company propose from time to time to hold exhibitions in various parts 
of the country, and he thought it not at all unlikely that next year, 
when their position was more consolidated than it was at the present 
time, it would be found that they would hold an exhibition either at 
Bath or Chester, or some other great centre, which would not be inferior 
in any degree to that which brought so much honour to the Fruiterers’ 
Company last year. 
It must be gratifying to all present to know that the first step had 
been taken in this country with a view to giving instruction in horti¬ 
cultural science in the public schools of this country. At Sewardstone, 
in Essex, Mr. Melles, a member of the Fruiterers' Company, had been 
the means of inducing the Government to consent to the teaching of 
horticultural science in the school of that village, and thus the elements 
of horticultural science were laid in that district, and a step taken which 
would lead to very great results in our rate and State supported schools 
throughout the entire country. The advantage, no doubt, would be the 
development of the resources in each district in which that education 
was given, and it would be no disadvantage whatever to the school¬ 
master who gave such instruction, inasmuch as he would be able to earn 
the same grant for the teaching of those sciences as he now did for the 
teaching of art and science, for which he took a grant from the 
Government. The Fruiterers’ Company felt that so far as the experts 
and those who were engaged in the country w r ere concerned no education 
whatever was needed. But they did aim at this, their primary object, 
the education of the farmers and cottagers of the country in the culti¬ 
vation of this article of food. The Company would endeavoirr, as far as 
it could, to teach them to grow fruit, first for use in their own families, 
and secondly, if they had a surplus, to send to market with a view of 
making a profit from it. But a great deal had to be done in this 
country before the farmers and cottagers would realise any profit from 
the growth of fruit. Foreign countries were far ahead of us in sorting 
and packing, and in the technical knowledge which was essential to 
the growth of various kinds of fruit. But the Company felt that if the 
farmers had regard to the cultivation of fruit, and showed the same 
skill and perseverance as they did in the cultivation of corn and other 
agricultural products, they would achieve results which would be satis¬ 
factory to the country at large, and more particularly to those who 
engaged in the pursuit. They were aware that there were many great 
difficulties to be overcome before they could place themselves on a 
footing of equality with foreign countries. 
A subject which deeply affected the profits connected with fruit 
culture was the manner and the cost of distribution. So far as the 
Company had been able, it had through the Mansion House Association 
on Railway Rates done all that within them lay in order to ensure the 
distribution of fruit in the future being cheaper and quicker than it had 
been in previous years. It might be in the course of a little while that 
the railway authorities and the new Postmaster-General would see their 
way clear to make some modification in the charges for conveyance, 
which would bring the producer and consumer, so far as small quan¬ 
tities were concerned, into immediate contact. To all these subjects 
the Fruiterers’ Company were giving their very serious attention, and 
he could assure them that all they had seen in the course of their 
researches during the past two or three years confirmed them in the 
belief that they were goiDg on a line which would lead to great advan¬ 
tages for the country. They would travel on in the fulfilment of their 
self-imposed task in the conviction that they were conferring an 
advantage upon those who engaged in the culture of fruit, that they 
were doing a great national service, and something to promote the 
national prosperity and the national welfare .—(City Press .) 
THE CRYSTAL PALACE HARDY FRUIT SHOW. 
October 8th, 9th, and 10th. 
The annual display of hardy fruits at Sydenham, w r hich opened on 
Thursday last and was continued until Saturday, proved one of the best 
that has been held there for many years. In all it was estimated that 
nearly 3500 dishes of Apples and Pears were staged, this representing 
about double the number of entries ever received at any previous Show. 
This was highly satisfactory, but was to some extent expected, as the 
crops of Apples are generally good in the south. 
The exhibits were arranged on long tables, which occupied consider¬ 
able space. The open classes for large collections were very important, 
and comprised some exceedingly handsome specimens. Messrs. G. Bun- 
yard & Co., Maidstone, were very successful, and contributed grandly in 
several classes. For the best exhibition of Apples, kitchen and dessert 
varieties, six fruits of each variety, not to exceed 100 dishes, orchard 
house fruit excluded, the firm just named won first honours for large 
bright handsome specimens of all the leading varieties, the following 
being very notable Ecklinville, Worcester Pearmain, The Queen, M6re 
de Manage, Lane’s Prince Albert, Alfriston, Stirling Castle, Loddington, 
Bismarck, Calville Rouge Precoce, Gloria Mundi, Lady Sudeley, Lady 
Henniker, Warner’s King, Peasgood’s Nonesuch, Duchess of Oldenburg, 
Emperor Alexander. Northern Dumpling, Gascoigne’s Seedling, Grenadier, 
Cellini, Pott’s Seedling, Cox’s Pomona, Fearn’s Pippin, and Lord Suffield. 
Mr. C. G. Slater, Devon Nursery, Heavitree, near Exeter, was a good 
second, staging many very fine fruits. Mr. J. Watkins, Hereford, was 
third ; and Mr. H. Berwick, Sidmouth, was fourth, both with praiseworthy 
collections. In Class D, for the best collection of Apples and Pears, 
orchard house grown, Messrs. G. Bunyard& Co. were the only exhibitors, 
and were awarded the first prize for extremely fine specimens, represent¬ 
ing a selection of the best varieties. 
Another open class was provided for the best collection of Pears, six 
fruits of each variety, and not to exceed fifty dishes, orchard house fruit 
excluded. Here Mr. G. Goldsmith, gardener to Sir E. Loder, Bart., 
Leonardslee, Horsham, won a great victory amongst nine competitors, 
taking premier honours for about fifty dishes, which included beautiful 
fruits of Beurre d’Amanlis, Beurrd Diel, Beurre Hardy, Louise Bonne of 
Jersey, Nouveau Poiteau, Pitmaston Duchess, Madame Treyve, Souvenir 
du Congi^s, Grosse Calebasse, Glou Mor^eau, Doyenne du Cornice, 
Fertility, and Josephine de Malines. Mr. Woodward, gardener to 
R. Leigh, Esq., Barham Court, Maidstone, was a good second; Messrs. 
Bunyard & Co. third ; and Messrs. J. Cheal & Sons, Crawley, fourth. 
Turning to the amateur classes, we found similarly good exhibits— 
in fact, in one case perhaps better than the others. This was in the 
class lor fifty dishes of Apples, distinct varieties, where Mr. Woodward 
took the leading position for a magnificent collection of large even 
fruits. The varieties were as follows :—Bedfordshire Foundling, Golden 
Noble, Kentish Fillbasket, Loddington, Blenheim Pippin, Royal 
Russet, Ecklinville, New Hawthornden, Wealthy, Lord Derby, Flower 
of Kent, Annie Elizabeth, Tower of Glamis, Gascoigne’s Seedling, 
Brownlee’s Russet, Bismarck, Ribston, Northern Dumpling, Alexander, 
Minchal Crab, Cornish Aromatic Pippin, Cox’s Orange Pippin, Tyler’s 
Kernel, Alfriston, Lincoln Pippin, Brabant Bellefleur, Queen Caroline, 
Peasgood’s Nonesuch, ReinettedeCanada, Duchessof Oldenburg, Warner’s 
King^ Calville Malingre, Pott’s Seedling, Grenadier, Cox’s Pomona, Mere 
de Menage, Belle Dubois, Yorkshire Beauty, Stirling Castle, Lord 
Grosvenor, Golden Spire, Cellini, Washington, Waltham Abbey Seedling, 
Lady Henniker, The Queen, Worcester Pearmain, Lord Suffield, Lane’s 
Prince Albert, and an unnamed variety. Mr. G. Goldsmith followed 
closely, and Mr. A. Waterman, gardener to H. L. C. Brassey, Esq., 
Preston Hall, Aylesford, Kent, was third amongst four exhibitors. 
With twenty-four dishes of Apples Mr. Waterman was more suc¬ 
cessful, securing the first prize with large fruits of Alfriston, Yorkshire 
Greening, Ribston Pippin, Mere de Manage, Brabant Bellefleur, Cellini, 
Gloria Mundi, Tyler’s Kernel, De Neige, Lord Derby, Stirling Castle 
Queen Caroline, Tower of Glamis, Bismarck, King of the Pippins, 
Worcester Pearmain, Blenheim Pippin, Peasgood’s Nonesuch, Warner’s 
