370 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ October 31, 1839. 
fidently expected that the Chiswick gathering will not be wanting 
in importance and utility. 
On another page particulars of the Conference programme are 
given, and with such a range of subjects well treated, as they 
unquestionably will be, there should be amply sufficient to attract 
lovers of the Chrysanthemum for an hour or two on each day. The 
schedule is a comprehensive one, but it is probable that some 
sections, especially those for trained specimen plants, will be rather 
inadequately represented. The conveyence of plants is an expen¬ 
sive matter, and while few gentlemen will care to become respon¬ 
sible for the cost, still fewer gardeners can afford to do so them¬ 
selves. With regard to the cut blooms the matter is somewhat 
different, as a few boxes of blooms are not a very serious impediment 
to a traveller, nor is the carriage a heavy item. We may, therefore, 
hope to see some exhibitors indicating their willingness to assist in 
extending the display by contributing from their floral treasures. 
The practical usefulness of the Selecting Committee’s work will 
mainly depend upon the number of good blooms submitted to them, 
for partial or restricted selection will be of little value. 
At Birmingham, on November 20th and 21st, the ordinary 
Exhibition will be held, but to give it a special significance this year 
a class has been provided for forty-eight blooms—twenty-four 
incurved and twenty-four Japanese, distinct, with six prizes, rang¬ 
ing from £25 to £1 10s. It is also stated in our advertisement 
columns that the Exhibition “ will be opened by Sir Thomas 
Martineau, when songs on the Chrysanthemum, specially composed 
for the occasion, will be sung by over 200 voices.” 
Edinburgh will celebrate the centenary with “ an intei national 
Show,” held by the Scottish Horticultural Association, on 
November 21st, 22nd, and 23rd. The leading classes are for forty- 
eight Japanese blooms (not less than thirty-six varieties), the City 
of Edinburgh cup, value £20, being offered as the first prize ; and 
for thirty-six blooms, comprising twelve Japanese, distinct, twelve 
incurved in not les3 than nine varieties, and twelve Japanese 
reflexed in not less than nine varieties, the Scottish challenge cup 
and five guineas constituting the first prize. 
At Ghent a centenary celebration will be held by the Society 
Royale d’Agriculture et de Botanique, from November 24th to 
December 1st, when gold, silver, and other medals will be offered in 
a large number of classes, miscellaneous Chinese and Japanese 
plants being also provided for. A deputation of members of the 
National Chrysanthemum Society’s General Committee, comprising 
Mr. William Holmes, Mr. George Gordon, Mr. Lewis Castle, 
Mr. C. Harman Payne, and Mr. B. Wynne, has been appointed to 
visit this Show, as the most representative continental centenary 
display. 
It is surprising that in connection with these various exhibi¬ 
tions so little attempt has been made to secure any features of an 
original character. Exception must, however, be made of the 
Chiswick and Ghent affairs, as they are both distinctly out of the 
ordinary exhibition lines, so far as can be judged from the pro¬ 
grammes issued. In both these cases it has been attempted to 
impart more than mere show interest to the gatherings, and this is 
what is needed. Conferences are assisting in rendering shows 
somewhat more than a struggle for so many prizes and challenge 
vases, and there is still room for the National Society to make its 
celebration in 1890 distinct from all that will have preceded it. 
PROFITABLE FRUITS. 
THE MORELLO CHERRY. 
Let me commend this Cherry to all on the look out for what is 
best to grow in the way of hardy fruits for either home consump. 
tion or for marketing purposes. There are several points in its 
favour, two especially good ones being the fact that the trees very 
rarely fail to bear well, it may be in positions where no other fruit 
could be so profitably grown, and the crops are always easy to get 
rid of at a good price. When the leading salesmen in Covent 
,Garden Market have to send hundreds of miles for Morellos 
paying, in addition to the cost of carriage, from lOd. to Is. per 
pound for sound fruit, we may safely assume there is both a goo<J 
demand for it and a deficient supply. In this district there is no' 
necessity to go far afield for purchasers, as the produce can always 
be readily sold at about the figures already given, the prices very 
seldom falling lower than lOd. From experience gained in other 
parts of the country, and a few facts gleaned from correspondents,, 
much the same state of affairs prevails in most other localities, the 
supply not, as a rule, equalling the demand. This being so, the 
wonder is that comparatively few trees are planted, and so little- 
is heard of the value of the Morello as a hardy market "fruit. Why 
they are so little grown in other than the metropolitan districts^ 
may perhaps be due to the impression that they must be trained 
against cool walls, when in reality they succeed admirably as half 
standards and pyramids, the only real difficulty being to preserve- 
the fruit from birds. 
Those having high walls with cool aspects, or any, say facing 
north, north-east, or north-west not at present profitably utilised,, 
ought to cover these with Morello Cherries as quickly as possible*, 
whether the surplus or whole of the fruit is to be marketed or 
not. Unlike many other fruits Morellos are not quickly perishable*, 
their season extending from August to November inclusive, and, 
in addition to being attractive as a dessert fruit, are particularly- 
esteemed in pies, and also when preserved whole in brandy. Especi¬ 
ally would I advise cottagers who occupy old-fashioned houses to- 
procure trees, or any with cool walls which they may venture to- 
drive nails into, though even this difficulty of driving nails into 
expensive walls, where it occurs, may be obviated by wiring the 
space. Within four miles of where I am writing there is a large? 
Morello tree, owned by a garden labourer, that annually produces 
sufficient fruit to realise what has to be paid for rent, which, how¬ 
ever, it must be added, is much below the average of most districts. 
His employer invariably takes the whole of the fruit, and this 
season 30s. was paid for it, but as much as £2 has been made of the 
fruit in one season, the quality and weight of the crop being: 
exceptionally good. It is choice fruit now-a-days that sells the 
most readily at highly remunerative prices, and those who are 
anxious to succeed in profitable fruit culture ought to pay more 
attention to the clothing of every blank space—not necessarily 
garden walls—with trees of superior kinds and varieties. I would 
strongly advise the owners of cottages, notably the older and roomy 
structures, to provide the occupiers with young trees, Morello- 
Cherries included, and see that they are properly treated and cared 
for. In time they will become a source of profit to the tenants, and 
add greatly to the letting value of the houses. 
1 hold the Morello to be amongst the most easily grown of all 
fruit, and this, whether located in the open or against a high or 
moderately high wall. They rarely form any extra strong or gross 
shoots, an even well-balanced head being easily secured, and if well 
fed at the roots they attain a great size and last for many years. 
At the outset a good border extended to at least 4 feet from the 
walls should be formed, and principally of good turfy loam with 
an addition, if need be, of a third or more of good garden soil. 
Although it delights in a cool position the trees do not thrive long 
after the roots reach a clayey subsoil. Where clay, therefore,, 
is found within 18 inches of the surface, not less than 9 inches of' 
the subsoil should be removed, and a layer of rough stones or brick 
ends faced over with old mortar rubbish be substituted, on this- 
being placed 2 feet of the loam or compost prepared. Espe¬ 
cially is it necessary that the site be well drained ; and in very low 
lying positions, where the drainage is sometimes unavoidably defec¬ 
tive, the trees ought to be, in fact must be, planted in a border 
raised considerably above the ordinary level of the garden. If the 
wall is high, or say 10 feet and upwards in height, the quickest way 
to furnish the space is to plant both dwarf and standards, the 
latter being known as “ riders,” and these eventually have to be 
removed or cut away in order to make room for those with short 
stems planted between them. A healthy tree well cared for is 
capable of covering an immense amount of wall space, one that I 
have seen in Kent being of such a size and so well furnished with 
bearing wood as to occupy one man’s time for not less than four 
days in pruning and training every winter. As a rule the dwarf 
trees should be planted about 18 feet apart, the riders, if any* 
being disposed midway between them. Maiden trees in addition 
to being much the cheapest also take most quickly to their fresh 
quarters, and soon surpass older trees planted at the same time. 
These must be cut back once, or perhaps twice, in order to obtain 
the requisite number of branches for laying the foundation of the 
trees, after which all that is necessary is to lay in main branches 
wherever there is room for them, the young wood for fruiting the 
following season being reserved every summer and trained or 
fastened to the walls in the winter, taking the place in many 
instances of old bearing wood cut out. When trained trees, or 
those with seven or more main branches, are purchased and planted, 
and which is most frequently done, it is unwise to shorten these 
