366 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ October 29,1891. 
THE CONFERENCE ON FRUIT CULTURE AT 
MANCHESTER. 
In connection with the Fruit Show held in the Manchester Town 
Hall, on October 20th and three following days, by the Royal Botanical 
and Horticultural Society of Manchester, a Conference was held on the 
first and second days in the Mayor’s parlour. The meetings on both 
days were well attended, and much interest was evinced in the 
proceedings. 
Lord Derby presided on the first day, and he opened the proceedings 
with an able speech, in which most points affecting the extension of 
fruit farming were dwelt upon with his usual ability. In reference to 
fruit as an article of diet, he said :—It will be admitted that if we can 
add to the diet of the English labourer, the farmer, and the poorer 
classes generally, a free use of food which shall be nourishing, whole¬ 
some, and agreeable, we shall be doing useful service. We are apt to 
look too exclusively to meat as a source of nourishment, and both health 
and economy would be promoted by a more mixed diet. 
Of fruit growing, he said, its advantages are obvious, and on the 
surface. It creates a large demand for labour, because in that industry 
the human hand cannot be superseded by machinery ; it may, under 
favourable circumstances, give an immense return per acre; the work 
connected with it is healthy; and inasmuch as fruit is not easily or 
usually transportable to long distances, or capable of being kept for a 
long time, it is less exposed to foreign competition than corn or grain 
of any sort. 
The first paper read was that of Mr. E. J. Bailie of Chester, or 
“ The Fruit Growing Movement : Present Day Features and Prospects,” 
in which special stress was laid upon the immense quantity of foreign 
fruit imported into this country, one reason for which was that it was 
grown, packed, and placed on market in such perfection as to leave 
little or nothing to be desired. Stress was la ; d upon the urgent need 
for reform in all these matters in fruit culture in this country. He, too, 
urged the dietetic value of food, the need for practical education in 
fruit growing, the want of greater facilities for the sale of fruit, and 
that fruit should be sold by sample and brand. 
Mr. W. Crump of Madresfield followed with a detailed account of 
the raising and pruning of Apples for orchard and estate planting. 
This has been done at Madresfield for several years on a large scale, 
and the tenants have evidently taken full advantage of this valuable 
privilege, 1200 trees having been supplied them last season. This 
sensible plan has been followed on other smaller estates, where trees 
have been procured for the tenants from the nurserymen, much good 
being thus done indirectly by the Madresfield Court scheme. 
Mr. T. F. Rivers’s paper on orchard house fruit culture had its 
valuable teaching emphasised by numerous large photographs, which 
were handed to the audience. In the Fruit Show tangible proof of the 
value of orchard houses in the north was afforded by the fine fruit from 
the Lambton Castle (Durham) orchard houses, in contrast with the 
undersized fruit grown in the open air within twenty mile 3 of 
Manchester. 
On the second day the chair was taken by Sir James Whitehead, 
Bart., Master of the Fruiterers’ Company, and papers were read by 
S. T. Wright, J. Cheal, and E. Luckhurst. 
In a long and exhaustive speech Sir James Whitehead touched upon 
every important point affecting the extension of fruit farming. He laid 
especial stress upon the fact that of recent years there has been a very 
large increase in the consumption of food in this country, and that it is 
every day becoming more and more an everyday article of food. That 
within the last twenty years the consumption of fruit per man, woman, 
and child of the entire population had risen from something like lOd. 
per head to 3s., and there has not been a corresponding increase of fruit 
culture in this country, although there has been a very large increase in 
the cultivation of fruit—not only in the open, but under glass. 
He also said that there was every opportunity for the ordinary 
farmer to add fruit culture to his business, quoting in support of this 
contention from Mr. John Wright’s prize essay on “ Profitable Fruit 
Growing,” and from a letter he had received from Dean Hole, who 
advised the cultivation of fruit to a greater extent by cottagers and by 
holders of small allotments, and suggested that by means of lectures 
and otherwise advice should be given to them as to the best trees to 
plant in the various localities. The great question of the day, said the 
Chairman, was education. Farmers and cottagers at the present time 
were almost absolutely ignorant, especially in regard to soils and sites, 
and they knew but little of the methods of cultivation. What was 
wanted, as it seemed to him, was that they should have shows from 
time to time in the great centres throughout the country on the same 
system as the Royal Agricultural Society, and in connection with these 
shows lectures should be given and papers read, and, above all things, 
there should be object lessons, and thus before long the great masses of 
the people in this country should be educated in this most desirable 
industry of fruit growing. 
After explaining a scheme prepared by the British Fruit Growers’ 
Association, now before the Education Department, for the introduction 
of practical horticultural instruction into Board schools in rural districts, 
and dwelling at length upon the question of security of tenure as 
affecting tenant farmers in fruit culture, Sir James brought his eloquent 
and eminently practical address to a close amidst the hearty applause 
of a large and evidently deeply interested audience. 
The papers which followed were well received, that of Mr. J. Cheal 
on “The Condition, Preparation, and After-treatment of the Soil for 
Fruit Culture” being of a sound and practical character. Mr. S. T. 
Wright’s paper on “ Fruit-growing for Profit ” was so excellent that we 
are glad to say he has promised to send it for publication in the Journal 
of Horticulture. Tangible proof of his skill in fruit culture was afforded 
by the fruit shown from Glewstone Court Gardens, and his three first 
prize bunches of Alicante Grapes were not only remarkable for colour, 
size, and finish, but for the singular uniformity in shape of the large, 
well-shouldered bunches. Mr. Luckhurst’s paper will be found on 
page 359 this week. 
Events of the Week. —Horticulturists will be busy in the current 
week, for the Chrysanthemum shows are commencing. On Friday, 
November 3rd, the meeting to consider the proposed International 
Fruit Show will be held in the Cannon Street Hotel at 3 P.M., Sir James- 
Whitehead in the chair. Upon the same day Messrs. Protheroe and 
Morris will hold a sale of Cattleya labiata autumnalis in flower, and 
other Orchids from M. Linden of Brussels. The Chrysanthemum 
Shows commence on Tuesday, November 3rd, when the Brighton, Kent 
County, Ipswich, and Watford Society’s Exhibitions will be opened, 
the majority being two-days shows. On Wednesday, November 4th, the 
Dorking, Portsmouth (three days), and Ascot (two days) Shows will be 
held. The subsequent fixtures will be found in our Chrysanthemum, 
column. 
- Proposed London International Fruit Show. — Mr. 
James Douglas, Great Gearies Gardens, Ilford, writes to us as follows — 
“ I enclose copy of advertisement of proposed International Fruit Show, 
which has been sent to your paper. Will you please to announce that 
the meeting is to be held at the Cannon Street Hotel on Friday, October 
30th, at 3 p.m., Sir James Whitehead in the chair, and urge all 
interested in such an exhibition to attend, and be prepared to offer 
suggestions ? ” [If the chief societies and organisations combine with 
this object in view we have no doubt it will be rendered a success. Each 
Society should be invited to nominate its representatives on the 
Committee.] 
- Myles Memorial Fund. —It is with much regret we notice 
the death at Ealing of the Rev. Percy Myles, F.L.S., Editor of Nature- 
Notes (the journal of the Selborne Society). Unfortunately he was- 
unable to make any provision for his widow : the Selborne Society has- 
therefore issued a special appeal to all the members, but would also do- 
so generally to any other persons who may feel disposed to contribute 
to the fund. As many of our readers have doubtless profited by 
Mr. Myles’s admirable “ Pronouncing Dictionary ” of botanical names, 
appended to Nicholson’s “ Dictionary of Gardening,” it is hoped that 
chey may like to contribute to the fund. The Rev. Prof. G. Henslow, 
Drayton House, Ealing, W., will be glad to receive any communications* 
- We are informed that the Municipality of Genoa has voted the- 
sum of il5,000 lire in aid of the International Botanical Con¬ 
gress, which is to be held in that city in September, 1892, to celebrate 
the fourth centenary of the discovery of America. 
- The Beddington, Carshalton, and Wallington Horti¬ 
cultural Society will hold an Exhibition and Conferences on Fruit 
and Chrysanthemums in the Public Hall, Carshalton, on Tuesday and 
Wednesday, November 3rd and 4th, 1891. The programme is as follows :— 
November 3rd, 1891, 6 p.m., Conference on fruit in the small public 
hail. Subjects: “Planting and Pruning,” by Mr. John Wright. 
“ Gathering and Storing Fruit,” by Mr. Joseph Cheal. “The Profitable 
Use of Boundary Fences and Walls in Small Gardens,” by Mr. T. W 
Sanders. On Wednesday, November 4th, 1891, a Conference on 
Chrysanthemums will be held in the small public hall. Subjects :— 
“Culture of the Chrysanthemum,” by Mr. Edwin Molyneux, “Chrys¬ 
anthemums at Home,” by Mr. George Gordon ; and “ Decorative Value 
of the Chrysanthemum,” by Mr. Lewis Castle. 
- Gardening Appointment. —Mr. David Jones has been 
appointed gardener to Sir R. R. Wilmot, Bart., Binfield Grove Farm, 
Bracknell, Berks. 
