148 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
November 4. 1899. 
cial point of view the fruit would not compare 
in size with Pears from the more sunny cli¬ 
mates of those countries. 
In reference to the supplies of Apples 
that reached us from the United States of 
America, the lecturer could speak with 
more confidence. It must pay to send them 
otherwise such immense quantities that 
reach us annually would not be sent. The 
rent of the land had to be taken into con¬ 
sideration, the cultivation, grading and 
packing of the fruit as well as the freight ; 
and that Apples could be a success com¬ 
mercially after that spoke volumes in favour 
of the possibility of a market for Apples 
grown in this country. Foreigners have 
been quick to perceive that the British 
market is the best in the world for fruit. 
As to the quality of British fruit the opinion 
is freely expressed by many that there is no 
better in the world. Against this there are 
some who get their supplies from the market 
and are of opinion that no better Apple than 
the Newtown Pippin exists. The supply 
is limited to a small area of the United 
States in which it succeeds well; and even 
then we doubt if it could hold its own 
against Cox’s Orange Pippin, if the public 
generally could make its practical acquaint¬ 
ance. The lecturer had no doubt that 
Apple culture could be made to pay well in 
this country. Really good fruits could be 
grown over a wide area in Britain, from the 
Carse of Gowrie to Land’s End and in 
Wales. The outlet for British Apples was 
widening every year for the best as well as 
the worst samples. Pie quoted samples of 
Cox’s Orange Pippin having been sold for 
6d. each. To our knowledge this Apple has 
been sold to the Fellows of the R.H.S. at 
3d. each ; and they were supposed to have 
precedence and favour over the general 
public. This, moreover, must be partly 
the result of education, for only those 
acquainted with the splendid qualities of 
the variety would be carried away by its 
sober appearance and moderate size. Many 
gardeners cannot fathom the reason for the 
preference given by the public to size and 
colour, particularly the latter. The varie¬ 
ties of British Apples recommended for 
planting were Prince Albert, Worcester 
Pearmain, Warner’s King, Dumelow’s 
Seedling, Cox’s Orange Pippin, and White 
Transparent. Other good sorts included 
Yorkshire Beauty (always a very heavy 
bearer), Golden Spire, Ecklinville Seedling, 
Cox’s Pomana, King of the Pippins, and 
Frogmore Prolific, concerning each of which 
he pointed out the qualities that recom¬ 
mended them for extended cultivation. 
Cultural details were given concerning soil, 
situation, aspect, and when to plant ; and 
the audience was advised to study the 
markets and the subjects of grading and 
packing. 
Other hardy fruits came in for detailed 
attention as far as the time at disposal per¬ 
mitted. The lecturer recommended the 
planting of select varieties in quantity 
rather than a few trees of many kinds. A 
continuous supply was more a desideration 
than a great glut at anyone time. Promin¬ 
ence was given to such Plums as Early 
Prolific, Czar, Victoria, Pond’s Seedling, 
and Coe’s Golden Drop. Naturally, he 
was not very pronounced in favour of Pears, 
but mentioned such varieties as Marie 
Louise d’Uccle, Louisa Bonne de Jersey and 
Doyenne du Comice (the latter being gener¬ 
ally considered the best flavoured British 
Pear). The stewing varieties mentioned were 
Catillac, Verulam and Vicar of Winkfield. 
The relative merits of Norwich Wonder, 
Semper Fidelis and Superlative Raspberries 
were stated. Black Currants are always a 
paying crop under favourable conditions ; 
and the varieties recommended were Lee’s 
Prolific and Carter’s Champion. Straw¬ 
berries also came in for favourable comment 
as might have been expected, considering the 
large area under cultivation, and the num¬ 
ber of people to whom they furnished 
employment. Royal Sovereign, Sir Joseph 
Paxton and Stirling Castle were reckoned 
the best market varieties. Gooseberries 
were peculiarly a British fruit, with which 
there was no question of holding our own. 
Those receiving favourable comment were 
Whinham’s Industry, Keepsake, and Lan¬ 
cashire Lad. Suitable situations could be 
found for Nuts and Filberts, the varieties 
most suitable for cultivation being the Cos- 
ford and Kent Cobs, Prolific and Kentish 
Filberts. The first named was very rich in 
the production of pollen, thereby ensu ring the 
fertilisation of the flowers in that respect. 
Red and White Currants were not a profit¬ 
able speculation, as the demand was small 
and easily supplied. Cherries constituted 
a profitable crop in those districts where 
the soil and climate were favourable, some 
parts of Kent being generally considered 
most conducive to their welfare. River’s 
Early, Black Circasian, Amber Heart or 
Kentish Bigarreau, and Black Eagle were 
put forward as the most profitable varieties 
to plant for market. Outdoor Vines were 
not overlooked, whatever the future may 
have in store for them as a British Indus¬ 
try. Some of those recommended for out¬ 
door culture were Black Cluster, Moore's 
Early and Millar’s Burgundy. 
A lengthy discussion ensued, and many 
questions, relating to fruit culture and 
marketing in their various aspects, were 
asked, to which the lecturer gave well con¬ 
sidered replies. He has known as much as 
/190 per acre being obtained for fruit; but, 
of course, that was very exceptional. On 
an average of ten years’ working there 
would be a profit of £\o per acre from a 
fruit farm. The land should be taken on a 
lease of 21 years. Another answer to a 
question was that the fruit growers for the 
future would not be farmers, as he consid¬ 
ered it a hopeless task either to instruct 
them, drive them off the old beaten track, 
or out of the deeply indented ruts of old 
time custom. He had been frequently 
asked for young men capable of managing 
a fruit growing concern, but had been 
obliged to turn the enquirers away unsup¬ 
plied. The fruit growers of the future have 
yet got to be trained. 
-ofr.- 
The Camberwell Beauty Butterfly is so called 
because specimens seen in this country were first 
caught at Camberwell (London). They are believed 
to come over from the Continent. 
Webb & Sons’ Barley Competition.— Messrs. Webb 
& Sons, of the Royal Seed Establishment, Words- 
ley, Stourbridge, offered valuable prizes for the 
best bushel of their varieties of Barley, grown 
with the aid of their special manure. The compe¬ 
tition was keen, whilst the samples exhibited were 
of very high quality, and testified not only to the 
value of seed and manure, but also to good culti¬ 
vation. List of awards Class I., for Barley grown 
in any part of the United Kingdom; Champion 
prize, cash or plate, value £25 —Mr. J. E. Kimber, 
Southrnoor House, Abingdon (Webbs’ Golden 
Grain); Reserve—Mr. William Shears, Lees Farm, 
Pyrford, Woking (Webbs’ Burton Malting). Class 
II., for Barley grown in the Counties of Salop, 
Stafford, Hereford, Worcester, Gloucester, or War¬ 
wick : First prize, cash or plate, value /15—Mr. 
Frank Horne, Bobbington, Stourbridge (Webbs' 
Kinver Chevalier) : Second prize, cash or plate, 
value £10—Mr. A. Ernest Day, Orchard Hill, 
Stratford-on-Avon (Webbs’ Kinver Chevalier) ; 
Third prize, cash or plate, value ^5—Mr. Albert 
E. Day, Clifford Bank, Stratford-on-Avon (Webbs’ 
Kinver Chevalier). Judge: J. E. Mitchell, Esq. 
(Director of Messrs. Mitchell’s and Butler’s, Ltd., 
Birmingham). 
Royal Horticultural Society.—The next fruit and 
floral meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society 
will be held on Tuesday, November 7th, in the Drill 
Hall, James Street, Westminster, 1—4 p.m. A lec¬ 
ture on "Some of the Plants Exhibited” will be 
given by the Rev. Prof. G. Henslow, M.A , V.M.H., 
at 3 o’clock. 
Fungus Foray in Epping Forest.—On Friday and 
Saturday last the Essex Field Club held a fungus foray, 
when a very great number of specimens were gathered. 
They were on show in a large room at Tbeydon 
Bois, and were named by the veteran scientist on 
that subject, Dr. M. C. Cooke, and by Mr. Massee, 
bead of the Cryptogamic Department at Kew. On 
Saturday evening each of these gentlemen gave an 
address to those who were present—Dr. Cooke 
stating that it was over ten years since he had seen 
so good a show, and that there were 129 different 
specimens named—Mr. Massee saying that although 
autumn was generally looked on as the season for 
fungus, yet that it was found to be at all seasons in 
abundance and he offered to name any specimens that 
might be sent to him. He has lately written a book 
on "plant diseases," describing the fungi which 
attack plants.— J. C. S. 
A Big Potato Crop and How It was Grown.—A cer¬ 
tain crop of Potatos on Lord Rosebery's estate at 
Dalmeny has been unusually heavy. Mr. Drysdale, 
the manager of his Lordship's farm lands, states his 
method of procedure. The field on which the crop 
in question had been grown received 30 tons of farm¬ 
yard manure applied to the stubble in the autumn. 
In the spring, when the land was being grubbed, it 
got 4 cwt. per acre of ground lime. Following this, 
it was further given a dressing of 4 cwt. of super¬ 
phosphate, 1 cwt. fermented bone-meal, 1 cwt. sul¬ 
phate of potash, 1 cwt. muriate of potash, and 1 cwt 
of sulphate of ammonia per acre applied in the drill 
at the time of planting. Of course, this is very 
heavy manuring, and all lands might not need so 
much. The average yield of marketable Potatos 
ordinarily obtained at Dalmeny is 18 tons per statute 
acre. 
The Royal Gardeners’ Orphan Fund— At the first 
meeting of the committee after the recess, held on 
the 27th ult., W. Marshall, Esq , in the chair, it was 
arranged that the annual general meeting shall take 
place on February 16th next, when there will also be 
an election of candidates for the benefits of the 
Fund. The following special receipts were 
announced:—By sale of flowers at the Wimbledon 
Horticultural Society's Show, £6 10s.; Sandringham 
Estate Cottage Garden Society, £5 5s.; Betchwortb, 
Brockham and Buckland Horticultural Society, 
£\ 6s.; Harvest Thanksgiving Collection at Range- 
more, Burton-on-Trent, per the Rev. A. Lowe, 
£4 10s. ; one-half of the “ gate ” obtained by throwing 
open the gardens at Ragley, Alcester, per Mr. A. D. 
Christie, £2 9s.; by the sale of fruit at Worcester, 
per favour of the Agricultural Sub-Committee of the 
Worcestershire County Council, £1 17s. 4d.; and 
by sale of flowers at the Chislehurst Flower Show, 
per Mr. J. Lyne, £4 6s. Candidates’ nomination 
forms can be obtained from the Secretary, Mr. B. 
Wynne, 8, Danes Inn, Strand, London, W.C. 
Tits Eating Fruit.—That tits and all the host of 
small warblers whose throats are so frequently in 
need of lubrication, judging from the amount of 
fruit they devour, are a pest, there is no room for 
doubt. Most of them do a good deal of harm, but 
they again repay us in another and quite satisfactory 
manner. These we are not so severe against. We 
are, however, down upon the sparrow, and probably 
others which are known to far out-do their good 
qualities by their destructiveness. Then some 
writers take up the case in favour of the birds all 
round. The birds peck the fruits, they say,because 
they are after the Codlin Moth’s larvae, or the larvae 
of some fly or insect pest. These men do not 
generally have any fruits themselves for the birds to 
peck at, therefore their sentiments have nothing to 
retard their flow. The larvae are very often mythic¬ 
al. Probably the tits, as mentioned by a corres¬ 
pondent in a contemporary, do have an eye to the 
concealed larvae, but this cannot always be made the 
excuse. Mr. Mayne, of Bicton, complains badly of 
them down his way, and he knows it's not for larvae 
they peck. 
