208 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ September 5 , 1889. 
creased that those islands, with the Madeiras and Canaries, now afford 
us our chief supply, though, by the use of refrigerators, they are now 
brought from the West Indies. Fruits of various kinds, especially 
Peaches and Apricots, having been exported in syrup from the United 
States, mainly since 1867, the preservation of the Pine Apple in this 
manner was first carried out at Nassau (Bahamas) in 1874. 
“ Similarly, the trade in Bananas, of which fruit only 664 bunches 
were imported from St. Michael’s in 1879, has enormously increased, 
though nothing more has been heard of the 1 Plantado passado,’ or dried 
Plantain fruit, recommended by Mr. P. L. Simmonds in 1854. The 
Plantain (Musa paradisiaca, L.) and the Banana (M. sapientum, X.) 
are generally considered distinct species, but vary so as to defy dis¬ 
crimination. They produce far more food, in proportion to the space 
they occupy, than any other plant. One Banana plant will yield three 
bunches, each weighing 44 lbs. in the year, which is equal to 140,000 to 
400,000 lbs. on three acres. Thus the same area that yields 33 lbs. of 
Wheat, or 99 lbs. of Potatoes, will produce 4400 lbs. of these fruits. 
Mr. Simmonds calculated that the almost imperishable food substance 
referred to could be sold in London at 3d. a lb. Professor Church speaks 
of the Banana as ‘ a nutritious food, having less water and more nitro¬ 
genous matter than is commonly found in fresh fruits. It contains, 
when ripe, much sugar, but very little starch.’ 
“ As in many other departments of the present inquiry, the progress 
made in the half-century can be to a great extent guaged by a com¬ 
parison of the articles now in commercial use with those reported upon 
at the time of the Great Exhibition of 1851. Undoubtedly the greatest 
change that has taken place in our food supply, so far as derived from 
the plant world, during this period, is the enormously increased con¬ 
sumption of Maize, and the introduction of glucose, which is largely 
prepared from it. No doubt our consumption of many fresh vegetables 
and fruits, of Asparagus, Tomatoes, Spinach, Artichokes, and Mushrooms, 
has increased more than proportionally to the increase of population ; 
but this has been mainly met by more extensive home market garden¬ 
ing, and has not seriously affected our imports. The extension of the 
cultivation oE Maize throughout Asia, Africa, America, and Southern 
Europe has been mainly the work of the last 150 years. It is cultivated 
with less labour, probably, that any other cereal. Prior to the Potato 
famine of 1846 Maize was not a regular article of British commerce. 
In 1847, 3,614,637 qrs. were imported ; in 1850, 1,286,263 qrs. ; in the 
first eight months of 1876, 27,000,000 cwt.; and in 1886, 31,000,000 cwt. 
Of this last amount, 16,700,000 cwt. came from the United States, and 
7,576,612 cwt. from Roumania. The removal of legislative restrictions 
has led to its employment in large quantities in malting, as well as in 
cattle-feeding. Many preparations of Maize are also popular articles of 
food, such as corn-flour, oswego, and maizena. It is poorer in flesh- 
formers than Wheat, but richer than Rice, and it contains more oil 
than any cereal; but 64£ per cent, of its composition is starch. It can¬ 
not be relied upon to ripen its grain in England ; but may sometimes 
answer as a fodder-crop, the young stems being very rich in sugar, and 
yielding in warmer climes from 50,000 to 80,000 lbs. of green fodder per 
acre. In Brittany it forms a useful autumn crop on sandy soil too poor 
for Clover or Lucerne. Three-fourths of the Maize produced in the 
United States is grown within 450 miles of Springfield, Illinois. In the 
Western States it is sometimes grown as the cheapest form of fuel. It 
was not until 1855 that glucose was prepared by treating the starch 
with dilute sulphuric acid, which has afterwards to be neutralised and 
removed as sulphate of lime. In 1881, 11,000,000 bushels of Maize 
were converted into glucose in the United States. In 1885 there were 
in Germany about fifty factories engaged in the manufacture of glucose, 
mainly from Potato-starch, in which 10,000 tons of ‘ hard ’ sugar, with 
little dextrin present; 20,000 tons of ‘ syrup, with much ; and 1250 tons 
■of ‘ colour,’ or glucose burut to caramel, were produced. It can be pro¬ 
duced at half the price of cane-sugar, and is mainly used in brewing 
and confectionery. In 1886 we imported 502,567 cwt., of which 
441,374 cwt. came from Germany.” 
HORTICULTURAL SHOWS. 
READING.— August 28th. 
Brilliant weather favoured the autumn Exhibition of the Reading 
Horticultural Society on the above date, but the heat was not so great 
as to be oppressive, hence an excellent display could be inspected with¬ 
out discomfort. Few shows are held in a more agreeable situation than 
that in the pleasant town famed for seeds and biscuits. The Forbury 
Gardens at Reading are admirably laid out with smooth lawns, cheerful 
flower beds, and shady walks, and within these gardens are the Abbey 
ruins—huge massive walls. The Show is held amongst the ruins, by 
permission of the Mayor and Corporation of the town, a canvas covering 
■stretching from wall to wall shielding the exhibits. The interior is 
■delightfully cool and abundantly roomy, while sloping turf-covered 
banks enable the exhibits to be arranged in the free informal manner 
that is alone consistent with true effect. Last year the Committee 
moved in a new direction by coupling with the Show an evening 
illumination of the gardens, adding the further attraction of a good baud’, 
and the result was so satisfactory that it was repeated this year with 
•equally good results. 
The Show this year was a marked improvement on any of its pre¬ 
decessors. To begin with, the entries were far more numerous, indeed 
the entry fees showed an excess of £12 over last year’s amount, and as 
the gardeners in the home and adjoining counties know their business as 
well as those in any part of the kingdom, there was quality as well as 
increased quantity to note. There was perhaps a slight falling off in 
specimen plants, a sign of the times which has been noted at other 
shows, but groups, flowering plants, and cut flowers were better than 
ever, fruit an enormous improvement, and vegetables fully equal to 
the very high standard of last year. It may be well to begin with 
what was perhaps the greatest feature of the Show. 
FRUIT. 
There was a splendid display of Grapes, both black and white. 
Peaches and Nectarines were very good. Plums were excellent, and 
Apples in advance of what might have been expected from the season. 
Black Hamburgh Grapes (three bunches) were shown by seven growers, 
so that there was plenty of competition, and the quality was of a high 
order. The first prize bunches came from Mr. Lane, gardener to Miss 
J. D. Smith, Ascot ; they were excellent clusters, well ripened and 
coloured, but a little rubbed. Mr. Bowerman, gardener to C. Hoare, 
Esq., Hackwood Park, was a good second with medium sized, well 
ripened bunches carrying a good bloom. Mr. Turton, gardener to G. 
Hargreaves, Esq., Reading, third with irregular bunches ; berries good, 
but imperfectly coloured ; and Mr. Ashman, gardener to J. Crews, Esq., 
Billingbear, was deservedly commended ; the berries were small, but well 
ripened, and the bunches very large. There were nine competitors with 
any other black, and Mr. Waite, gardener to Col. the Hon. W. P. Talbot, 
Esher, of vegetable growing fame, won with a trio of capital bunches of 
Madresfield Court. The berries were a little irregular in point of size, 
but the bunches were very large and well formed, the fruit carrying a 
beautiful bloom. Mr. Osman, gardener to Sir E. Colebrook, Bart., 
Ottershaw Park, was second, his fruit a little lacking in colour, but the 
bunches good. Mr. Robins, gardener to E. D. Lee, Esq., Hartwell 
House, was third with finely ripened but rubbed fruit; and, to show the 
excellence of the competition, it may be added that extra prizes were 
awarded, very deservedly, to Mr. Cakebread, gardener to Sir P. Rose, 
Bart., Rayners, and Mr. Ashby, gardener to Mrs. Fanning, Whitchurch. 
Of Muscatof Alexandria (three bunches), there wereeight canital lots, 
forming an excellent class. Mr. Lane was first with superb clusters, 
the bunches of medium size, and the berries possessing the clear amber hue 
indicative of perfect ripening. Mr. Ashby was second, his clusters 
were enormous, but not perfectly ripened, the same remarks applying to 
the third prize lot of Mr. Cakebread. Again extra prizes were deemed 
necessary to do full justice to the exhibits, one being awarded to Mr. 
Currey, gardener to Col. Pepper, Salisbury, and another to Mr. Maher, 
gardener to A. Waterhouse, Esq., Yattendon. Eight also entered with 
any other white kind. Mr. Ashman won with very fine bunches of 
Buckland Sweetwater ; Mr. Currey second with the same variety, 
berries small, but well ripened, and Mr. Maher third, also with the 
Sweetwater. An extra prize was awarded to Mr. Osman for a good 
sample of Foster’s Seedling. 
Peaches were best shown by Mr. Lees, gardener to Mrs. Marsland, 
The Wilderness, who had a grand dish of Teton de Venus, large and 
beautifully finished, a fine, richly flavoured Peach not often exhibited. 
Mr. Pound, gardener to G. May, Esq., Caversham, and Mr. Cox, gardener 
to J. H. Blagrove, Esq., Calcott Park, were second and third with 
Princess of Wales, nearly equal in point of size, but Mr. Pound’s fruit 
the cleaner. There were six other dishes. There were twelve dishes of 
Nectarines, none noteworthy in point of size, but all admirably ripened 
and coloured. Mr. Pound was first with a splendid dish of Pine Apple, 
in the highest degree creditable to him, Messrs. Cox and Ashby being 
second and. third with Victoria, both capital. There was only one dish 
of Apricots—Moor Park—shown by Mr. Maher, and the second prize 
was awarded. Of Figs there were three lots, Mr. Ashby being first 
with a good dish of White Ischia, fully ripe, and Messrs. Booker, 
gardener to W. B. Monck, Esq., Coley Park, and Mayne, gardener to 
Lord Saye and Sele, Reading, second and third. There were no less 
than fifteen exhibits of Plums, three dishes of each—a splendid display. 
Mr. Cox was first with Washington, Pond's Seedling, and Kirke’s 
Purple, Mr. Turton second with Bodaert’s Green Gage, Washington, and 
Pond’s Seedling, and Mr. Waite third. 
Kitchen Apples were shown largely and well, dessert varieties not 
quite up to the same standard. There were four lots of the latter, six 
dishes of each, Mr. Paxton, gardener to the Hon. C. S. Irby, winning 
with an excellent collection, the varieties being Peach, Worcester 
Pearmain (poor), Blenheim Orange, Duchess of Oldenburg ( a splendid 
dish), Strawberry Pippin, and one incorrectly named. Mr. R. Webb, 
Beenham, was a creditable second, and Mr. Hinton, gardener to 
J. Leslie, Esq., Reading, third. There were seven exhibits of culinary 
varieties, and here Mr. Webb was placed first with a capital collection, 
the varieties being Warner’s King, Cox’s Pomona, Stirling Castle, 
Gravenstein, Wellington, and Ecklinville Seedling. Mr. Cox was a very 
good second, and Mr. House, gardener to J. O. Taylor, Esq., Reading, 
third. Pears (dessert) were admirably shown by Mr. Goodman, 
gardener to C. Hammersley, Esq., Bourne End, who was a good first, 
Messrs. Paxton and House following. With stewing varieties Mr. 
Paxton won, Messrs. Goodman and Read following. 
Of Melons there were six brace. Mr. Doekerill, gardener to G. W. 
Palmer, Esq., Reading, won with beautiful fruits of Hero of Lockinge, 
deliciously flavoured ; Mr. Bowerman second with the same variety ; 
and Mr. Lockie, gardener to the Hon. G. Fitzgerald, Windsor, third 
with a variety named Imperial, scarlet fleshed. Cucumbers were 
well shown by Mr. Lockie, who was first with a very neat brace of his 
variety Perfection ; by Mr. Booker, who was second with Phippen’s 
Improved Telegraph ; and by Mr. Kneller, gardener to W. S. Portal, 
