428 
rHE GARDENING WORLD 
March 5, 1898. 
TOMATO THE CROPPER. 
The great aim with most cultivators of Tomatos is 
to get the heaviest crop of fruit from any given 
space ; and those who grow for market in this coun¬ 
try well know that Tomatos of great size are not 
wanted. For exhibition purposes the matter is 
slightly different; but good judges do not now give 
the palm for mere size. For dessert purposes fruits 
of medium size are preferred ; and our experience is 
that medium sized fruits are the best flavoured and 
most relished by the consumer. The accompanying 
illustration, prepared from a photograph, shows 
a heavy crop of fruits of moderate size. The largest 
fruits do not reach half-a-pound in weight, while all 
the smaller ones are serviceable. It was put into 
commerce last year by Messrs. Wm. Cutbush & 
Son, Highgate, London, who lent us the accom¬ 
panying illustration, and it still maintains the 
character indicated by the name. 
— 
HARDY FRUIT PROSPECTS. 
The choicer fruits such as Apricots and Peaches are 
well studded with fruit buds, and are fast expanding 
their petals, which means that some kind of protec¬ 
tion will have to be given them to ward off frost or 
hail should either happen. We can hardly hope to 
escape such at this early season. Apples, as far as 
I can see around the garden, promise well; and 
Pears against walls, as well as in the open, give 
every indication of an abundance of blossom, which 
will soon be open. The Plums, too, are showing 
well in similar positions to the last named. Nature 
did her part well last summer and early autumn in 
ripening up the wood of all fruit trees ; and we must 
hope she will be no less propitious now, but assist in 
setting and swelling the fruit. Then I predict we 
shall have an abundance of all the kinds named 
above.— Devonian. 
READING AND DISTRICT GARDENERS. 
The fortnightly meeting of the above association was 
held in the Club Room, British Workman, Reading, 
on the 2ist ult., the president, Mr. C. B. Stevens, pre¬ 
siding over a good attendance of members. The 
subject for the evening was “ A Chat about Melons” 
introduced by Mr. B. Dockerill, The Gardens, 
Elmhurst,Reading,a well known grower and success¬ 
ful exhibitor of this fruit. 
The paper was of the most practical nature and 
dealt with the cultivation of the Melon in all its 
branches. Mr. Dockerill said he was obliged to 
condense a large subject into a small paper, but 
trusted that it would be sufficient to open up a good 
discussion on the principal points worth considering ; 
for the Melon was a fruit so widely known that it was 
reasonable to assume that there was hardly a gar¬ 
dener who had not made its acquaintance in one 
way or another ; and it would be difficult to find a 
garden of any dimensions where this excellent 
fruit was not grown. The requirements for its 
successful cultivation were not large,for they may be 
summed up in the followine words :—Heat, moist¬ 
ure, fresh air, sunshine, and good soil. Span-rooi 
houses were preferred, standing in an open situation 
running from north to south, and frames made on 
the same principal were certainly preferable to the 
lean-to. 
After dealing with the inside arrangements of the 
house, particulars were given as to the making of 
the borders, the best soil to be used, raising of the 
seed, the system of planting, stopping, top-dressing, 
temperature, ventilation, watering, &c. As to 
varieties, after briefly referring to the sorts of by¬ 
gone days such as William Tillery, Reid’s Scarlet 
Flesh, Victory of Bath, &c , the qualities of many 
of those grown at the present time were touched 
upon. The foremost position as the best for all pur¬ 
poses whether for growing in houses, frames, for 
exhibition, or for flavour was given to that grand 
variety Sutton's Hero of Lockinge. 
In conclusion the diseases to which the plants were 
subjected were referred to and also the growing 
of Melons for exhibition, a practice in which the 
speaker had been exceedingly successful; for at the 
Reading Horticultural Show in 1892 in a competi¬ 
tion for a brace of Melons, fourteen entries, and for 
a single specimen, twelve entries, Mr. Dockerill was 
awarded the highest honours in both classes. As 
late as 1896 he again took first prizes in both classes, 
the fruit in each case being grown in frames. 
An interesting and profitable discussion ensued in 
which Mr. M. H. F. Sutton, Messrs. Turton, Mar¬ 
tin, Woolford, Bound, Hobbs, Neve, and the presi¬ 
dent took part. A hearty vote of thanks was given 
to the lecturer for his very practical paper. Exhibits 
were small in number but interesting. Mr. Thomp¬ 
son, gardener to F. Wheeler, Esq., Tylehurst, 
exhibited a two-spathed Arum, and Mr. Dockerill 
some excellent blooms, equal in quality to those seen 
in November, of Mrs. E.W. Clarke and J. H. Taylor 
Chrysanthemums. 
■ I - 
QUESTIONABLE EXHIBITS. 
Whatever may be the results of the present dis¬ 
cussion as regards the N. C. S. withdrawing the un¬ 
fair conditions attached to the prizes offered for 
vegetables at the October Show, there can be no 
doubt the ventilation of the conditions on which the 
prizes are offered will do good; and if it curtails 
such absurd conditions being imposed in the future, 
some good has been accomplished. As a rule atten¬ 
tion has only to be called to such questionable con¬ 
ditions to prevent them becoming popular with those 
who have the arrangement of horticultural schedules. 
I am pleased to notice the correspondence that has 
taken place and the strong opinion expressed against 
the conditions imposed. Although Fiat justitia in his 
admirable article (page 396) thinks I have used too 
strong a term in questioning the honesty of certain 
proceedings, yet in the following paragraph of his 
article he says : " Most people will admit that it is not 
a fair condition to rule that all produce entered in a 
competition for vegetables grown from seed supplied 
by the firm giving the prizes shall become the 
property of the donors of the prizes.” 
Just so. Then if most people will admit(and I think 
they will) that it is not a fair condition, it is then 
unjust, and it should not be encouraged by the 
N.C.S. They should have no interest in offering 
prizes through the Society that are not fair and 
honourable. 
Again, although any firm offering prizes for pro¬ 
duce grown from its own seeds has the right to im¬ 
pose what conditions it likes to govern the competi¬ 
tion, the society through which they are offered has 
an equal right to refuse them if it thinks the condi¬ 
tions under which they are offered are not fair and 
honourable. - -A member of the N.C.S. 
“JUDGING AT HORTICULTURAL 
EXHIBITIONS.” 
I think most of your readers will be interested in 
this question, as it affects a great many of us directly 
or indirectly. I agree with a good deal that Mr. 
Beckett has written concerning this knotty problem. 
As he says, it is quite impossible to please the many 
critics who scrutinise the awards at a fruit or flower 
show. What judges do, or should do, is to 
thoroughly examine all exhibits that are placed 
before them, and to adjudicate upon the same. After 
having satisfied themselves clearly which is the best, 
they can feel they have conscientiously done their 
duty to the best of their ability, and can only hope 
that the exhibitors as well as the general public will 
take the same practical view, though in practice it is 
often the other way about. 
Of course, it is a well known fact that judges do 
err at times; the best of us are not infallible. 
Exhibitors are sometimes to blame for this, for 
instead of getting their exhibits all staged and ready 
for the judges by eleven o’clock (this being the usual 
hour) it is often an hour later before the hall or tent 
is cleared. This is wasting valuable time that 
should have been at the disposal of the judges. The 
consequence is they have to hurry over the awards 
to get done by opening time, and probably justice 
has not been meted out in the right quarter. When 
I am officiating, and there should be two exhibits as 
near alike as possible, as regards quality, size, or 
effect, whichever it may be, I always hang fire as it 
were, and endeavour to find a fault here, or a point 
there, so as to avoid those equal firsts or seconds— 
to my mind a very unsatisfactory solution. I do not 
think this equality is practised much outside horti¬ 
cultural shows, and if horse, cattle, poultry shows, 
etc., can do without this, surely we ought to be able 
to. 
Mr. Beckett says he is always satisfied with the 
awards of practical men when he is exhibiting. I 
am pleased to hear this, and wish I could say the 
same of some I know, who are very bad losers but 
excellent winners.— J. Mayne, Bicton, Devon. 
GARDENERS’ ROYAL ORPHAN FUND. 
The Report. 
The tenth annual general meeting of this well- 
known charity was held as usual at Anderton’s 
Hotel, Fleet Street, E.C. W. Marshall, Esq., took 
the chair at 2 p.m. At the chairman’s request the 
notice convening the meeting was read by Mr. B. 
Wynne, and the minutes of the last general meeting 
were then presented and approved. 
The report of the executive committee was presented 
by Mr. A. F. Barron. After commenting upon the 
fact that the tenth year of the institution had been 
safely passed through, it expressed regret that the 
receipts for the past year had not been so satisfactory 
as could be desired, and urged the necessity of 
increased efforts on behalf of friends. During the 
past ten years ninety-eight children had received 
benefit from the Fund, of which number sixty-two 
were even now in receipt of a weekly allowance. The 
total amount paid to children since the inauguration 
of the charity in 1887 was £5,807 5s. Amongst 
the most important donations were £50 from the 
Scottish Horticultural Association, £26 5s. from the 
Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society; £23 12s. 6d. 
from the Chislehurst Gardeners' Society; and 
£18 8s. from the Altrincham Gardeners' Society. A 
sum of £457 5s. nd. had been bequeathed by the late 
Mr. J. W. Thomson, and invested in accordance with 
the terms of his will. This legacy would henceforth 
be known as the " J. W. Thomson Trust.” 
The annual dinner held at the Hotel Cecil in April 
last, and presided over by Sir J. Whittaker Ellis, 
Bart., had resulted in a handsome subscription list of 
£ 635 - 
The best thanks of the committee were due to the 
treasurer, Mr. N. Sherwood, and the auditors, Mr. P- 
Rudolph Barr and Mr. M. Rowan. 
The loss by death of Dr. Robert Hogg, and Mr. 
W. G. Head, both staunch supporters of the Fund 
was deeply deplored. 
The members of the executive committee who 
retire by rotation were Messrs. Assbee, Ballantine, 
Canned, Cummins, Gordon, McLeod, Roupell, and 
Wynne. All offer themselves for re-election with the 
exception of Messrs. Ballantine and Cummins, 
Messrs. A. Outram and G. H. Richards being 
nominated to fill the vacancies. 
Mr. A. F. Barron was again nominated for 
secretary at the same remuneration. 
The cash statement declared total receipts of 
£2,625 is. id., including a balance from the last 
account of £599 ns. rod. The expenditure summed 
up to £1,689 3s. iod., with a balance in hand of 
£935 17s. 3d. Among the most important items 
appeared £853 15s. spent in allowances to orphans 
at the ordinary rate of 5s. per week to each child. 
Special grants in aid had been made of £22 10s., 
whilst the •• Emma Snerwood Memorial” accounted 
for £13, thus making a total disbursed in charity of 
£889 5s. A further sum of £422 7s. 4d. had been 
invested in Canada stock. The invested moneys of 
the Fund amounted to £7,070 6s. iod. in 2§ per cent. 
Consols, and £2,422 7s. 4d. in 3 per cent. Canada 
stock. 
Mr. W. Marshall briefly moved that the report and 
statement of accounts issued to the members be taken 
as read, and adopted. He had nothing, he said, to 
comment upon with relation to the report, since 
everything had been duly mentioned, but he would 
suggest, as a private individual, that the committee 
should consider how many children from one family 
should be placed upon the funds. Personally, he 
thought that the number should not exceed two. Mr. 
Bates seconded the adoption of the report, which was 
carried unanimously. 
Mr. Poupart moved, and Mr. Osman seconded that 
N. N. Sherwood, Esq., be re-elected treasurer, and 
thanked for his past services. 
It was proposed by Mr. R. Dean that Mr. M. 
Rowan be re-elected auditor, and that he and his 
auditor colleague, Mr. P. Rudolph Barr, be thanked 
for services rendered. Mr. Roupell seconded. 
On the motion of the chairman, seconded by Mr. 
H. B. May, Messrs. Assbee, Cummins, Gordon, 
McLeod, Roupell, and Wynne were asked to continue 
upon the committee. Mr. Cummins proposed that 
Messrs. A. Outram and G. H. Richards be asked to 
