October 26, 1889. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
121 
in other lands, in working unitedly for the general 
good. This is entirely compatible with individual 
enterprise, which is not in the slightest degree handi¬ 
capped by association on a broad basis, and I am 
convinced that nothing but good can result from a 
policy of federation in furtherance of the important 
work of developing the resources of the nation to which 
we are proud to belong. 
The object of the British Fruit-growers’ Association 
is to promote the extension of fruit culture, to increase 
the quantity and improve the quality of home-grown 
fruit. “ A very good object, no doubt,” observed a 
has been provided for him better and cheaper than he 
could have obtained the necessities for himself. The 
benefits have been mutual. It is the same in the fruit 
tree world. The nurserymen are at the bottom of it. 
They can raise trees better and more cheaply than 
individual cultivators can raise them for themselves. 
Let these “go to the bottom” and try—sow seed, 
select varieties, raise stocks, and graft, or in any other 
way increase the number, and see where they will be 
ten years hence. They will be at the bottom still, 
while rival growers, who purchased and planted at tho 
time the individualists commenced action in their own 
obtained elsewhere, and from a consumer’s view be 
thankful that the sun does not cease to shine every¬ 
where, and that all the orchards of the world are not 
barren at once. 
We have, as a consequence probably of our insular 
position, been in the habit of taking a much too 
circumscribed view of the great question of the supply 
of fruit. We did not perceive soon enough the revo¬ 
lution that steam, machinery, and electric telegraphy 
were effecting, and have effected, in bringing the sources 
of supply, thousands of miles away, practically nearer 
to us than were many of those of our land to each other 
Chrysanthemum, Amy Furze. 
friend, with a cynical twinkle of the eye, “but don't 
you think nurserymen are at the bottom of it ? ” “ A es, 
certainly I do ; and if you reflect for a moment you 
will find that there can be no substantial progress made 
without them. They are at the bottom of fruit culture, 
just as iron is at the bottom of railways, and coal at 
the bottom of iron.” Here you see is where the 
obstructiveness of suspicion and petty jealousy comes 
in. But depend upon it, if my friend had to dig his 
own coal, and wheel it home in his own barrow, he 
would not be half so well off as he is to-day. Whatever 
of prosperity has been enjoyed by the ironmaster and 
coalminer has not been obtained at the sacrifice of a 
single advantage that this user of their products 
possesses, but he has benefited by the use of that which 
isolated Way, will be reaping the reward of trade co¬ 
operation with the raisers of the trees. What we want 
and what we have is a body of highly-skilled and high- 
minded fruit tree raisers, and we may safely leave the 
competition, that is a natural element in trade routine, 
to supply the tree planters to the best possible advantage. 
I want to see a great and a growing trade in fruit- 
tree production, and care not how great the prosperity 
of those who engage in it may be, provided the planters 
and cultivators prosper accordingly, and the supply of 
home-grown fruit by its abundance and excellence can 
hold its own in the competition of the world. Can this 
be done? Yes, it can when the seasons are favourable 
for fructification and the development of the crops ; 
and when they are not, we all enjoy what can be 
not much more than a generation ago. We rested on 
the strength of our insularity too long. We, that is to 
say those who had the means for planting trees for 
maintaining the fruit supply, did not perceive the 
necessity for change. The old trees were trusted to do 
what they had done before—provide what would be 
wanted ; and if the fruit should become scarcer through 
the demand being greater, consequent on the increase 
of population, the price would rule higher and the 
owners of the trees would reap the advantage. That 
was the line of reasoning during the time when Dr. 
Lardner said he would swallow the first steamship that 
crossed the Atlantic, and subsequently it was fallacious, 
absolutely and ridiculously fallacious, and we in later 
times, and until now, have suffered by the great delusion. 
