3U 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
October  S ,  1895. 
and  when  the  crops  fail  over  the  tea,  as  they  do  from  time  to 
time,  and  ours  are  good,  we  will  have  pleasure  in  returning  the 
compliment.  It  is  just  a  question  of  thoroughness  in  cultivation, 
care  in  selection,  and  skill  in  packing,  with  the  breaking  down 
of  unreasonable  obstacles  which  fetter  distribution  that  will  enable 
us  to  do  so. 
How  great  is  the  power  of  cultivation,  as  well  as  the  demand 
for  Apples  of  the  highest  class,  was  proved  in  a  letter  from 
perhaps  the  largest  fruit  salesman  in  Manchester  to  Mr.  Lee 
Cimpbel),  and  read  by  that  gentleman  at  the  Palace  Conference  on 
the  close  of  the  prize  essay  of  his  gardener,  Mr.  S.  T.  Wright. 
The  letter  is  as  follows  : — 
With  reference  to  your  inquiry  I  can  confidently  state  without 
fear  of  contradiction  that  your  varieties  of  Apples  realise  at  least 
30  per  cent,  more  on  an  average  than  any  other  English  varieties 
of  Apples  sold  in  this  market,  and  that  you  are  by  far  the  best 
grower  of  Apples  in  England.  Your  Worcester  Pearmains  average 
40  per  cent,  better,  Ecklinvilles  average  33  per  cent  better, 
Peasgood’s  Nonesuch  average  25  per  cent,  better,  Keswicks  average 
80  per  cent,  better,  Warner’s  Kings  average  30  per  cent,  better. 
Several  of  your  varieties  of  Apples,  such  as  Transparents, 
Brown’s  Codlins,  and  Maltsters  I  do  not  receive  from  other  growers, 
but  Apples  similar  in  appearance  which  are  sold  here  realise  on  an 
average  30  per  cent,  less  than  yours.  This  is  owing  to  the  superior 
eating  quality  of  your  Apples,  which  is  much  appreciated  by  the 
buyers  who  have  once  had  the  opportunity  of  purchasing  your 
fruit,  and  they  are  always  eager  to  purchase  your  consignments, 
when  advised  by  wire,  even  before  they  come  to  hand,  as  your 
packing  is  done  honestly  and  can  always  be  relied  upon,  and 
consequently  the  sales  remain  in  the  hands  of  a  few  large  buyers. 
The  only  trouble  with  your  fruit  is  that  the  varieties  do  not 
last  long  enough  for  them  to  become  generally  known,  which 
would  increase  the  competition  for  their  purchase.  For  instance, 
there  were  only  about  three  consignments  in  bulk  of  Transparents, 
and  the  customers  were  quite  excited  for  more,  and  were  willing 
to  pay  increased  prices  for  further  lots  ;  this  applies  generally  to  all 
your  fruit.  I  could  easily  dispose  of  the  produce  of  thirty  or  forty 
more  growers  of  fruit  equal  in  quantity,  qualitjq  and  packing  at 
more  remunerative  prices  than  I  have  been  able  to  send  you,  as 
this  would  enable  the  various  kinds  to  become  better  known. 
As  to  foreign  competition  there  is  no  doubt,  but  that  the  cheap 
rates  enable  foreign  competitors  to  place  their  fruit  upon  the  • 
various  markets  here,  with  the  result  that  prices  are  brought  much 
lower  than  they  otherwise  would  be,  and  this  must  exclude  a 
portion  of  native  production  from  coming  to  market,  which  other¬ 
wise  would  have  come  if  it  had  not  been  crowded  out  by  foreign 
supplies. 
As  to  railway  rates ;  at  present  rates  are  much  too  high  ;  with 
lower  rates  and  a  better  Land  Bill  it  would  enable  us  to  successfully 
compete  with  foreign  supplies,  as  then  farmers  would  have 
confidence  to  speculate,  and  would  be  able  to  keep  out  all 
importation  of  foreign  Apples  to  this  country. — John  Mills. 
That,  we  do  not  hesitate  to  say,  is  one  of  the  most  significant 
communications  that  has  yet  been  published  on  the  fruit  question. 
Here  is  one  salesman  who  would  be  glad  if  Mr.  Lee  Campbell 
could  supply  thirty  or  forty  times  more  Apples  than  at  present, 
and  it  will  be  seen  that  those  he  does  send,  and  they  are  many 
tons,  are  disposed  of  by  “  wire  ”  without  ever  reaching  his 
salesman.  The  fact  speaks  volumes  for  the  skill,  care,  and 
honesty  in  packing  that  obtain  at  Glewston  Court,  and  the  results 
are  the  more  striking  as  the  fruit  is  grown  on  short  leasehold 
land.  We  have  also  a  note  from  Mr.  Lee  Campbell  on  the  packing 
of  Canadian  Apples,  but  it  cannot  be  published  now. 
We  can  only  say  that  the  Fruit  Show,  of  which  a  report  follows, 
was  a  great  triumph.  It  was  attractively  arranged  by  the  associa¬ 
tion  of  Palms  supplied  by  Mr.  Head,  and  all  was  ready  by  the 
appointed  time  for  the  J udges.  There  was,  as  many  persons 
thought,  a  defect  in  the  prize  cards.  The  number  of  the  class  was 
printed  in  each  case,  but  not  the  description  of  it.  Whether  the 
omission  was  accidental  or  designed,  it  was  not  thought  to  be 
exactly  worthy  of  imitation.  A  greater  misfortune  and  a  general 
source  of  regret  was  the  sudden — and  for  a  time  serious — illness 
(of  the  nature  of  a  sunstroke)  of  Mr.  Wilks,  who  was  totally 
unable  to  attend  the  show,  of  which  he  was  no  doubt  the  chief 
organiser  if  not  oiiginator. 
Though  the  show  was  so  orderly,  it  was  from  our  artist’s  point 
of  view  bewildering.  He  was  searching  for  a  '•  character  sketch,” 
and  was  told  to  find  it  as  best  he  could.  With  an  eye  to  the 
picturesque,  he  seized  on  Mr.  Rivers’  beautiful  group  of  fruit  trees, 
and,  as  a  contrasting  feature,  Messrs.  Sutton’s  remarkable  display 
of  Tomatoes  (the  surface  covered  by  their  exhibit  being  75  by 
8  feet)  with  a  few  other  “subjects”  adjoining.  The  “artist’s 
choice  is  represented  on  page  325,  and  will  be  recognised  by 
visitors  to  the  Palace  as  not  an  unfaithful  pourtrayal  of  what 
is  after  all  but  a  small  sample  of  the  Great  Fruit  Show  of  1895. 
EEPOET  OF  THE  SHOW. 
Sept.  26th  to  28th. 
The  show  of  British  fruits  that  was  held  at  the  Crystal  Palace  on 
the  above  dates,  under  the  auspices  of  the  Eoyal  Horticultural  Society, 
was  the  second  of  what  it  is  hoped  may  now  prove  an  annual  event. 
The  number  of  fruits  that  were  brought  together  on  this  occasion  was 
very  great  indeed,  the  amount  of  tabling  utilised  enormous,  and  the 
competition  as  a  whole  fairly  keen.  The  exhibition  was  held  in  the 
centre  transept,  each  end  running  from  the  central  dome  being  fully 
occupied  with  tables  on  which  the  fruita  were  arranged.  One  end  of 
the  building  was  completely  full  of  the  fruit  abown  in  competition, 
the  other  end  holding  the  exhibits  arranged  by  the  various  large  fruit 
growers. 
Never  have  better  Apples  been  staged  both  as  regards  size  and  richness 
of  colours.  The  latter  was  a  remarkable  feature,  some  varieties  that 
only  colour  slightly  being  quite  bright  and  glowing.  Pears  were,  as  a 
rule,  staged  in  fine  form,  being  of  good  average  size  and  well  coloured. 
Plums  were,  of  course,  not  very  numerous,  the  dates  being  rather  too  late, 
this  applying  with  equal  force  to  the  Peaches  and  Nectarines.  Grapes 
were,  as  a  rule,  not  of  the  highest  excellence.  Though  many  handsome 
bunches  were  staged,  several  of  the  berries  were  undersized  and  not 
perfectly  finished.  It  was,  perhaps,  unfortunate  for  the  exhibitors  that 
the  day  was  so  sunny,  as  shining  directly  on  the  black  berries  any 
defects  were  exposed  at  once.  White  Grapes  were  not  very  largely 
shown,  but  some  splendid  bunches  of  Muscat  of  Alexandria  were  noticed 
in  the  various  classes. 
As  an  exhibition  of  fruits  the  show  could  not  be  termed  otherwise 
than  a  success,  and  we  trust  it  will  be  equally  so  from  a  financial  point 
of  view.  The  arrangements  made  in  the  manner  of  staging  were,  with 
few  exceptions,  excellent,  and  reflect  high  credit  on  all  concerned.  On 
another  occasion  it  would  certainly  be  a  great  advantage  in  improving 
the  general  effect  of  the  show  if  baize  or  some  other  material  could  be 
hung  down  the  front  of  the  tables  to  hide  the  numerous  boxes,  which 
have  a  very  untidy  appearance  under  the  present  circumstances.  We 
append  a  list  of  the  prizewinners  in  the  principal  classes. 
Open  Classes. 
The  chief  class  in  this  section  was  for  a  collection  of  twelve  dishes  of 
ripe  fruit,  in  not  less  than  six  kinds,  nor  more  than  two  varieties  of  each 
kind.  There  were  only  three  exhibitors,  and  the  competition  was  not 
particularly  keen.  Mr.  J.  Mclndoe,  gardener  to  Sir  Joseph  Pease,  M.P., 
Hutton  Hall,  Guisborcugh,  was  a  decided  first.  The  collection  comprised 
Gros  Marcc,  many  berries  of  which  were  small,  and  Foster’s  Seed¬ 
ling  Grapes  in  fair  condition,  grand  Bananas,  Bryanston  Gage  and 
Yellow  Magnum  Bonum  Plums,  Brown  Turkey  Figs,  Doyenn^  Boussoch 
Pears,  Exquisite  and  Sea  Eagle  Peaches,  Yorkshire  Beauty  Melon,  and 
Gascoigne’s  Scarlet  Apple.  Each  of  the  front  dishes  was  splendid,  and 
had  the  Grapes  been  up  to  the  mark  the  stand  would  have  been  greatly 
enhanced.  C.  E.  Keyser,  Esq.,  Stanmore,  was  a  capital  second  with  an 
even  stand.  His  best  examples  were  Eipley  Queen  Pine,  Beurr^  Hardy 
Pear,  and  small  but  splendidly  coloured  bunches  of  Muscat  of  Alexandria 
Grapes.  Mr.  J.  H.  Goodacre,  gardener  to  the  Earl  of  Harrington, 
Elvaston  Hall,  Derby,  occupied  the  third  position,  the  stand  being 
marred  by  the  arrangement. 
In  the  collection  of  eight  dishes  of  fruits.  Pines  excluded,  there  were 
eight  competitors,  and  several  handsome  dishes  of  fruit  were  staged. 
Mr.  Eeynolds,  gardener  to  Messrs.  De  Eothschild,  Gunnersbury  Park, 
Acton,  was  deservedly  accorded  the  premier  position.  Gros  Maroc  and 
Muscat  of  Alexandria  Grapes.  Sea  Eagle  and  Thames  Bank  Peaches, 
Pineapple  Nectarine,  Eibston  Pippin  Apples,  Coe’s  Golden  Drop  Plums, 
and  Sutton’s  A1  Melon  ;  all  in  creditable  condition.  Mr.  F.  Harris, 
gardener  to  Lady  Henry  Somerset,  Ledbury,  was  a  good  second  with 
grand  Coe’s  Golden  Drop  Plums,  and  fair  Gros  Maroc  and  Muscat  of 
Alexandria  Grapes.  Tbe  third  position  was  accorded  to  Mr.  W.  J. 
Empson,  gardener  to  Mrs.  Wingfield,  Ampthill,  Beds. 
As  has  been  said  Grapes  were  not  up  to  the  average,  but  Mr.  J.  H. 
Goodacre  staged  some  handsome  examples  in  the  class  for  twelve  bunches 
in  six  distinct  varieties,  to  include  black  and  white.  The  stand  was 
composed  of  Gros  Guillaume.  Muscat  of  Alexandria,  fine  in  berry  and 
bunch  ;  Gros  Colman,  Lady  Downe’s,  in  superb  condition,  the  bunches 
being  very  broad  across  the  shoulders  for  this  variety  ;  Black  'Alicante 
and  Mrs.  Pearson,  large,  shapely  bunches  of  good  berries.  Mr.  Eeynolds 
