512 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
December  14,  1899. 
of  the  lesser,  and  the  minority  to-day  became,  so  to  say,  the  majority 
to-morrow.  So  it  may  possibly  be  in  the  case  at  present  under  con¬ 
sideration.  Experience  alone  can  tell.  But  obviously  we  cannot  have 
experience  without  a  start.  This,  then,  is  the  most  important  factor 
at  the  moment — an  agreement  on  lines  on  which  a  start  can  be  made. 
On  looking  through  the  several  letters  which  have  appeared  on  the 
subject  under  notice,  it  will  be  found  among  products  regarded  as 
worthy  of  being  specified  as  suitable  in  a  national  competition  for  a 
great  prize  of  honour,  that  Grapes  are  placed  a  long  way  in 
the  ascendant.  These,  in  fact,  are  in  the  proportion  of  more  than 
five  to  one  ever  a  class  for  fruits  generally.  Though  such  a  class  is 
advocated  by  Mr.  Owen  Thomas  in  his  admirably  reasoned  communi¬ 
cation  on  page  397,  November  2nd,  he  speaks  in  approving  terms  of 
the  original  proposal  for  Grapes  alone  ;  and  even  in  taking  a  broader 
view  of  the  subject  he  would  still  let  Grapes  lead  the  way — i.e.,  a 
national  cup  or  trophy  to  be  offered  for  these  the  first  year ;  for  under¬ 
glass-grown  fruits  the  second  year;  outdoor  fruits  the  third  year; 
and  vegetables  the  fourth  year.  It  is  a  great  idea,  and  its  author 
found  a  strong  supporter,  not,  perhaps,  unlikely  to  be  followed  by 
others  if  a  permanent  challenge  trophy  should  be  established.  We 
take  it,  then,  that  Mr.  Thomas  would  be  with  the  majority  as  a  start. 
Mr.  Challis  propounds  a  still  wider  scheme  in  what  can  only  be 
justly  described  as  a  statesmanlike  letter  on  page  491  of  our  last 
issue.  Though  many  readers  must  applaud  his  sentiments,  some  of 
them — perhaps  several — may  be  inclined  to  regard  his  colonial  and 
international  proposal  as  being  semewhat  in  advance  of  the  times. 
Great  achievements  can  only  be  attained  step  by  step,  with  not 
infrequent  delays  caused  by  obstacles  that  have  to  be  overcome  at  the 
onset.  The  majority  who  have  taken  part  in  this  discussion  we 
suspect  would  desire  to  commence  with  a  class  that  would  be  the  most 
likely  to  prove  a  success  frem  the  first;  and  that  class,  according  to 
an  overwhelming  expression  cf  opinion,  would  be  a  class  for  Grapes. 
We  aro  not  without  hope  that  the  accomplished  gardener  at  Wilton 
will  regard  such  class  as  a  safe  first  step  towards  his  patriotic  ideal, 
and  that  it  will  receive  his  support  as  a  beginning, 
As  a  matter  of  fact,  on  looking  carefully  over  the  letters  from  the 
comparatively  few  writers  who  have  indicated  a  preference  for  fruit 
generally,  over  Grapes  exclusively,  for  the  competition  suggested,  we 
find  nothing  to  lead  to  the  supposition  that  they  will  do  otherwise 
than  fall  in  with  the  views  of  the  majority.  They  will,  we  feel  sure, 
become  helpers  in  their  respective  districts  in  providing  a  valuable 
object  of  art,  in  which  would  be  embodied  the  zeal  of  gardeners  and 
others  wdio  are  earnestly  desirous  of  stimulating  to  further  endeavour 
in  the  production  of  superior  Grapes,  in  common  with  other  forms  of 
garden  produce.  Not  exhibitors  alone,  by  a  very  long  way,  may  be 
expected  to  gladly  share  in  the  honour  of  contributing  a  “bit  o’  siller,” 
if  nothing  more,  towards  building  up  a  trophy  which  would  be  a 
memorial  of  the  earnestness  of  devotees  in  the  ancient  craft  at  the 
close  of  the  nineteenth  century. 
As  to  the  form  and  character  of  the  particular  object  desired,  it 
will  be  soon  enough  to  talk  about  that  when  means  are  forthcoming 
for  procuring  it.  We  have  heard  of  a  few  “vellow-boys”  that  are 
likely  to  find  their  way  to  a  fund,  if  and  when  such  fund  is  estab¬ 
lished  ;  but  the  principle  of  the  disposal  of  a  national  cup  or  trophy 
should  be  previously  undeistood.  There  are  different  rules  for 
governing  the  fmal  winning  lor  personal  possession  of  challenge  cups; 
tut  they  do  not  apply  to  one  of  the  value  of  £100,  and  in  our 
opinion  cannot  apply.  We  do  not  hesitate  to  join  in  the  views  of 
those  who  think  that  such  a  trophy  should  Dever  become  the  property 
of  any  person.  It  should,  as  we  have  stated,  be  a  grand  national  prize 
of  honour — the  greatest  prize  and  greatest  honour  that  a  gardener  can 
win ;  and  be  should  have  a  substantial  prize  in  money,  also  a  per¬ 
manent  toker,  such  as  a  medal  or  certificate  for  winning  it.  A  hand¬ 
some  framed  certificate  engrossed  on  vellum  would  at  once  be  an 
appropriate  ornament  for  bis  home,  and  would  register  his  success  in 
perpetuity. 
The  question  has  ‘been  discussed  as  to  the  exhibitions  at  which 
such  great  prize  should  be  competed  for.  Though  that  is  a  mUt  r 
which  cannot,  for  obvious  reasons,  be  settled  in  advance,  a  general 
principle  may  be  indicated.  In  considering  this  aspect  of  the  case 
we  have  to  keep  in  mind  the  concrete  fact  that  in  competitions  for  a 
“national”  prize  no  part  of  the  United  Kingdom  can  properly  be 
excluded.  In  all  references  to  the  integral  parts  it  must  be  under¬ 
stood  the  word  England  includes  Wales.  One  correspondent  refers  to 
the  principality  in  a  happy  phrase  as  “  the  mother  of  Britain,  and 
mother  and  daughter  speak  with  one  voice,  and  will  do  so  on  this 
question.”  If  and  when  the  trophy  is  provided,  as  we  think  it  may 
and  should  be,  it  must  be  open  to  be  won  by  cultivators  in  England, 
Ireland,  and  Scotland,  and  whether  the  successful  competitor  be  an 
Englishman,  Irishman,  or  Scotsman,  the  honour  of  winning  the  great 
prize  must  belong  to  the  particular  division  of  the  nation  in  which  it 
is  won.  It  is  no  question  of  a  personal,  racial  contest,  but  of  stimu¬ 
lating  to  high  culture  everywhere.  As  Mr.  D.  Thomson  has  forcibly 
put  it,  “John,  Pat,  and  Sandy”  are  working  in  harmonious  unity, 
and  giving  a  gallant  account  of  themselves  in  their  prowess  in  the 
field  of  war,  and  so  may  they  do  so  in  brotherly  rivalry  in  our 
beautiful  and  peaceful  art  of  productiveness  in  the  garden.  This  view 
of  the  case  is  in  accordance  with  general  opinion,  and  the  particular 
seats  of  contest  must  be  settled  according  to  the  circumstances  that 
may  ultimately  prevail. 
A  question  of  more  permanent  importance  is  the  legal  possession 
of  a  great  challenge  trophy,  if  and  when  it  becomes  an  laccomplisbed 
fact.  It  must  be  invested  in  trustees.  Who  are  these  trustees  to  be  ? 
and  shall  they  yield  possession  of  it  for  a  year  to  the  owner  of  the 
produce  with  which  it  is  won  each  season,  or  retain  it  in  constant 
possessiou  subject  to  its  exhibition,  under  proper  security,  at  the 
particular  shows  where  the  honour  of  winning  it  is  contested  for  ? 
It  would  there  be  a  great  source  of  attraction,  and  the  centre  of 
absorbing  interest.  The  privilege  of  its  exhibition  would  be  worth 
all  the  prize  money  that  might  be  allocated  to  the  class  by  the  com¬ 
mittee  of  any  important  society,  metropolitan  or  provincial,  in  any  of 
the  three  divisions  of  the  kingdom. 
As  to  where  in  these  divisions  the  contests  should  be  held  we  can 
only  gather,  and  inscribe  the  preferences  of  several  writers  who  have 
taken  part  in  the  recent  discussion.  First,  England  appears  to  have 
been  mentioned  twenty-two  times,  Scotland  eighteen  times,  and 
Ireland  four  times.  Of  the  part:cular  centres  in  these  divisions  we 
find  Edinburgh  proposed  ten  times,  London  nine,  Shrewsbury  six, 
and  Dublin  four  times.  As  regards  Shrewsbury,  we  have  been 
clearly  informed  that,  much  as  the  compliment  of  nomination  is 
appreciated,  there  cau  be  no  acceptance  there  prior  to  the  claims  of 
Edinburgh  and  London.  This  clears  the  way,  and  we  are  now 
reduced  to  the  three  metropolitan  cities — namely,  in  alphabetical 
sequence,  Dublin,  Edinburgh,  and  London.  These  are  the  seats  of 
three  national  societies — the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  of  England, 
the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  of  Ireland,  and  the  Royal  Caledonian 
Horticultural  Society. 
Now,  if  we  could  have  our  desire  gratified,  which  we  cannot 
alwravs  by  a  very  long  way,  it  would  be  to  see  a  substantial  contribution 
towards  a  great  national  object  by  these  recognised  leading  societies,  and 
that  one  or  other  of  them  should  have  the  grand  prize  of  honour  in  its 
temporary  keeping  when  won  within  the  confines  of  its  own  great 
domain.  It  would  not  follow  that  the  contests  should  always  take 
place  at  the  shows  of  the  three  great  societies.  This  would  be  a 
matter  for  arrangement  between  a  National  Trophy  Committee  and 
the  officials  of  any  societies,  metropolitan  or  provincial,  in  the  three 
divisions  of  the  kingdom,  and  thus  such  centres  as  Belfast,  Dundee, 
Glasgow,  Manchester,  and  Shrewsbury,  all  of  which  have  been 
incidentally  mentioned  in  the  discussion,  with  others  not  specified, 
would  be  eligible  for  attracting  the  attention  of  the  horticultural 
world  to  the  shows  at  which  the  grand  national  challenge  prize  would 
be  lost  and  won  for  the  season. 
“  But  of  whom,”  it  may  be  asked,  “  is  the  Trophy  Committee  to  be 
composed?”  If  the  Royal  Societies  mentioned  were  to  share  in  the 
movement  they  would  naturally  appoint  delegates.  This  would  bring 
'hese  Societies  in  touch  with  each  other,  and  eventually  with  provincial 
