November 5, 1891. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
879 
flip. 
PROPOSED GREAT FRUIT 
SHOW ON THE THAMES EMBANKMENT. 
: -+- 
A S will be seen in the report of a meeting on page 392, the 
proposal to hold a great National and International Fruit 
Show in the metropolis next year met with a most encouraging 
reception. The resolution, moved by Mr. Smee, seconded by Mr. 
Wright, and strongly supported by other speakers—that such 
an Exhibition be held—was passed unanimously, not a hand being 
held up against it. The origin of the movement appears to 
have been very similar to that of the remarkable International 
Exhibition of 1866. In each case a few friends talked over the 
matter in an informal way, and provisional committees were 
subsequently organised to consider the best methods to adopt in 
carrying out the scheme. 
Some of the Judges at the Crystal Palace Fruit Show last 
month thought the time had come for holding a fruit exhibition 
of great magnitude, and a deputation was formed to wait on 
Sir James Whitehead, Bart., to ascertain his views on the subject. 
It was presumably not in his capacity as Master of the Fruiterers’ 
Company that Sir James was consulted, but as a recognised leader 
in the fruit movement, an untiring advocate for increasing and 
improving the supply of home-grown fruit, an eloquent exponent 
on the subject, and an able administrator. He was the originator 
of the great Show that was held in the London Guildhall last year, 
and which, under his guidance, proved a remarkable success. 
Sir James Whitehead gave such encouragement to the deputation 
that waited on him in reference to the still greater project that 
further action was at once decided upon, which resulted in the 
meeting in question. 
As will be seen on perusal of the Chairman’s speech a broad 
and liberal policy was advocated, and an union of effort by societies 
and organisations invited. All were encouraged to join hands 
towards the attainment oc the object in view, and a hope was 
expressed that no petty jealousies whatever would arise in con¬ 
nection with the movement. That the meeting was in full 
sympathy with the Chairman’s propositions and expressions was 
unmistakeable. 
Mr. Douglas, a member of the Council of the Royal Horti¬ 
cultural Society, was asked to propose the first resolution, and it is 
evident he would have gladly done so had it stood alone, but as he 
had been entrusted with one also from the Royal Horticultural 
Society, he was bound to ask that it be appended. The first 
half of this resolution would have met with a joyous reception, 
and its adoption must have left the Society in a very strong 
position, but the latter half was wholly unacceptable as being in 
direct conflict with the broader principle of mutual co-operation 
which was felt, as if instinctively, the right line to adopt. The 
R.H.S. resolution found no seconder, and, in fact, could not be 
formally proposed by Mr. Douglas, who, however, acquitted himself 
well in what he correctly described as a difficult position. 
Mr. Bunyard, also a member of the Council, said the resolution 
did not embody the views that it was intended should be 
expressed, and suggested the possibility of a clerical error. 
Not a few friends and Fellows of the Society would be glad if 
that was so, and most readily condone any accident or mistake in 
transcription. 
Dr. Masters, in. a moment of forgetfulness, animadverted on 
the circumstance that the Royal Horticultural Society had not 
No. 593.—Yol. XXIII., Third Series, 
been consulted on the subject of the proposed Exhibition. It was 
impossible that there could have been any such consultation, for 
the obvious reason that no person nor body was invested with 
authority to consult or make proposals to any society till 
empowered to do so by resolution passed at this, the first meeting. 
The Royal Horticultural Society will, it is presumed, now be 
approached, as will other organised bodies, national, metropolitan, 
and provincial, and there can scarcely be a doubt that abundant 
support will be forthcoming for insuring the success of an 
undertaking that is intended to be both national and 
international in character, and which will undoubtedly be of 
national importance. 
The lines of the 1866 International are being followed in other 
important respects. The management was then entrusted to an 
independent Committee. Neither the Royal Horticultural nor 
any other Society was officially connected with it, but the Fellows 
of the Society gave to it their valuable support. This will occur 
again, as most of the gentlemen present at the meeting were 
supporters of the R.H.S , and while fully admitting the good work 
it had done were avowedly in strong sympathy with the movement 
that is now inaugurated. 
The duration of the Exhibition is also proposed to be prac¬ 
tically the same as in 1866. At the appointed time for closing 
that Exhibition a great loss was incurred, but by extending it three 
or four days a great profit was insured, out of which the Bindley 
Library was bought, and £1000 given to the Gardeners Royal 
Benevolent Institution. The proposal to bene it the gardening 
charities by any surplus that may issue from the forthcoming 
event is certain to be in consonance with the feelings ot the 
great mass of the gardening community. 
Assuming that the Thames Embankment site will be available 
next year advantage should be taken of it, or a great opportunity 
may be lost for ever. All who are sincere in their wishes to 
see the United Kingdom—England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales, 
with all the isles thereto belonging — become a greater and 
better fruit-producing nation, will be helpers in this worthy 
endeavour; and though the project cannot in its nature be 
particularly identified with any association, it is hoped, as 
the Chairman said, that “ the work will be considered good 
enough for every man, whether he holds a high position or a 
lower one in the scale of horticultural science, to join in this 
cause.” __ 
SPRING BEDDING. 
All who have to provide a display of spring bedding ought 
now to be making active preparations to accomplish the object in 
view. Although up to the present time we have experienced no 
frost severe enough to injure bedding plants generally, yet, in 
consequence of heavy rains and lack of sunshine, there is not much 
beauty remaining among the summer occupants of the flower 
garden. Even were it otherwise, in view of the approaching 
winter, it is necessary that the plants intended to provide the 
spring display should be planted as soon as possible, so that 
they may become established before severe weather sets in. 
Not only is this needful for the purpose of enabling them 
to pass through the winter with the least possible injury, but 
also to forward their flowering time, as plants that are well 
established in the autumn have their roots in the right condition 
to enable them to push into active growth and flower as soon as 
spring comes. 
There is another point which, if well considered, would I. 
think tend to make spring bedding more popular. It is this, 
that to produce the bright and attractive show in April and May 
which is found in gardens where spring bedding is well done not 
a single square of glass is required. This is in marked contrast to 
the amount of space under glass required for wintering plants 
used for summer bedding. And yet for bright cheerful c >lc ur i 
No. 2249.—Yol, LXXXY. Old Series. 
