402 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
October  28,  1897. 
some  way  or  other,  by  the  Council  of  the  Eoyal  Horticultural  Society. 
We  do  not  say  that  the  equals  of  all  could  be  found  Avho,  in  their 
respective  spheres,  have  rendered  signal  service  in  the  scientific,  practical, 
or  administrative  aspects  of  horticulture ;  for,  to  cite  no  others,  there 
is  only  one  Sir  Joseph  Hooker,  one  Dean  Hole,  or  one  Baron  Schroder, 
and  it  may  be  said  that  no  recipients  of  the  Victoria  medal  appre¬ 
ciated  the  distinction  conferred  on  them  by  its  possession  more  than 
they  did,  and  none  on  receiving  it  at  the  hands  of  the  President 
received  Avarmer  greetings  from  the  densely  packed  audience. 
The  Council  of  the  Society  has  naturally,  from  time  to  time,  had 
many  difficult  problems  to  consider  and  to  solve,  but  it  is  questionable 
if,  during  recent  years  at  any  rate,  any  one  of  them  has  given  cause 
for  more  anxious  thought  and  serious  consideration  than  the  Aveighing 
of  the  claims  of  hundreds  of  able  persons  Avhose  names  must  in  the 
very  nature  of  things  liave  been  brought  under  revicAv.  The  task  of 
determining  the  final  choice  must  have  been  in  its  Avay  herculean ;  but 
as  Avas  clearly  set  forth  in  the  admirable  speech  of  the  President  at  the 
luncheon,  to  Avhich  the  elected  Victorianists  Avere  invited,  the  decision 
did  not  turn  so  much  on  individuals  as  on  groups  and  their  repre¬ 
sentatives,  such  as,  for  instance,  the  scientific  and  commercial  sections, 
Avith  amateur  patrons  of  gardening,  and  actual  Avorkers  in  it.  That 
has  clearly  been  the  principle  on  AV'hich  the  decisions  were  based. 
It  cannot  be  said  that  gardeners  have  not  had  their  full  share  of 
recognition,  and  this,  no  doubt,  accounts  largely  for  the  general 
approval  Avith  Avhich  the  decisions  have  been  met,  though  Ave 
thoroughly  believe  there  are  no  men  who  value  more  highly  the 
important  Avork  of  their  scientific  coadjutors  than  do  the  intelligent 
Avorking  gai’deners  of  Britain,  They  could  not,  in  fact,  have  been  so 
accomplished  as  they  are  had  they  not  made  themselves,  as  far  as  they 
could,  acquainted  with  the  re.searches  of  men  Avhose  patient  investi¬ 
gations  have  done  so  much  in  showing  the  Avay — the  true  Avay — to  the 
achievement  of  the  useful  objects  in  vieAV, 
Perhaps  if  there  is  one  section  of  horticulturists  Avho,  in  pro¬ 
portion  to  the  Avork  they  have  done,  and  are  doing,  Avho  are  the  most 
sparsely  represented,  it  is  that  kuoAvn  as  growers  of  garden  produce 
for  market — men  who,  by  their  remarkable  enterprise  and  cultural 
skill,  have  accomplished  so  much  in  bringing  the  wholesome  influences 
of  gardening  into  the  homes  of  the  people  and  brightening  their  lives. 
Even  this  section  is  not  forgotten,  and  in  time  the  great  and 
good  Avork  that  is  done  in  the  direction  indicated  Avill  be  mo  « 
fully  understood  and  appreciated.  But  after  all  only  sixty  persons 
— the  number  corresponding  with  the  years  of  her  Majesty’s  reign — ■ 
could  be  chosen  out  of  thousands,*  Avhile  none  of  the  members  of 
Council  could  be  elected — a  pity,  since  they  have  done  so  much  for 
British  horticulture. 
Ihe  proceedings  of  the  historic  event  of  the  26th  inst,  are  narrated 
in  the  report  on  page  414. 
HEALTHY  FRUIT  TREES. 
ilnQ  Journal  of  Horticulture  on  fruit  culture  have 
been  of  much  interest.  To  me  it  seems  that  some  Avriters  pin  their 
faith  to  one  method  too  securely,  as  being  the  right  and  only  manner 
itr  which  the  production  of  fruit  or  successful  combatting  of  tree 
diseases  can  be  accomplished,  and  this  without  inquiring  into  the 
predisposing  cause  of  fruitlessness  or  tendency  to  disease.  Take,  for 
instance,  canker.  Has  not  deep-rooting  something  to  answer  for,  this 
irriparting  to  the  tree  a  tendency  to  become  susceptible  to  attacks  of 
diseases  ?  Certain  it  is  that  the  removal  of  the  roots  from  unaerated 
subsoil,  that  frequently  contains  quantities  of  injurious  iron,  into  well 
aerated  soil  near  the  surface,  has  a  powerfully  beneficial  effect  on  the 
tree;  .and  if,  in  addition,  this  soil  contains  the  necessary  quantities 
in  proper  form  of  the  chemicals  required  for  sustaining  healthy  growth, 
it  will  matter  little  how  they  are  supplied,  whether  as  “  ate”  or  “  ide,” 
or  as  “just  manure,”  only  keep  the  proportions  true.  This  Avill 
assist  greatly  in  Avarding  off  attacks  of  disease,  or  defeating  them 
Avhen  existent.  Trees,  Avhen  properly  supported,  are  enabled  to  main¬ 
tain  a  healthful,  fruitful  condition.  The  knife  Avill  only  be  needed 
for  regulating  the  branches. 
The  secret  of  successful  culture  undoubtedly  lies  in  sound,  firm, 
clean  healthy  trees,  and  this  is  most  easily  secured  Avhen  the  roots  are 
kept  near  the  surface,  Avhere  they  derive  the  most  benefit  from,  say  a 
judicious  application  of  “just  manure,”  seasoned  with  “ate  and  ide.’’ 
Under  most  circumstances  such  a  blend  will  prove  beneficial,  if 
properly  balanced  and  applied  at  the  right  times. 
Much  could  yet  be  written  by  such  men  as  Mr.  Abbey  (long  may 
he  live  to  Avrite)  as  to  Iioav  trees  take  their  food  from  the  soil  by  means 
of  the  root  hairs ;  how  it  is  manufactured  in  the  leaf  and  stored  in  the 
fruit,  or  otherwise  employed  in  building  up  the  different  parts  of  the 
tree ;  what  that  food  consists  of ;  how  it  is  obtained  from  the  film  of 
moisture  surrounding  the  particles  of  earth,  and  how  or  in  Avhat  form 
additions  to  present  quantities  can  best  be  made ;  also  as  to  the 
influences  on  fertilisers,  on  the  colour  and  flavour  of  fruit. — Fifer. 
FRUIT  AND  TABLE  DECORATIONS. 
In  thanking  “  H.  D.”  for  his  efforts  to  remove  the  wrong  im¬ 
pressions  he  fancies  I  am  labouring  under,  I  should  like  to  know  if 
there  is  any  mistake  where  he  says  that  at  one  time  the  young  men 
used  to  turn  out  en  masse  to  prune  and  nail  wall  trees.  I  have 
always  regarded  pruning  as  an  important  part  in  the  cultivation  of 
fruit,  and  one  which  some  experience  was  necessary  to  carry  out 
successfully.  Has  “  H.  D.  ”  given  us  the  index  to  the  decadence  in 
wall  fruit  culture?  I  shall  be  surprised  to|hear  that  young  men 
were  permitted  to  use  the  knife  on  the  well-trained  and  fruitful 
examples  referred  to  by  himself  and  his  friend  “  iMelton  ”  unless 
under  the  watchful  eye  of  the  chief. 
I  am  still  under  the  impression  that  plant  and  floral  decorations 
are  not  the  cause  of  the  many  bad  instances  of  cultivation  we  see, 
or  that  they  can  be  held  responsible  for  the  deprivation  of  the 
assistance  at  one  time  given  by  the  young  men  in  nailing  and 
pruning.  What  our  fruit  trees  on  walls  and  in  the  open  are  suffer¬ 
ing  from  is  the  want  of  men  who  have  both  the  knoAvledge  and 
inclination  to  show  their  men  how  to  work.  There  are  still  many 
places  Avhere  work  is  not  so  pressing  at  this  period  of  the  year,  but 
that  the  men  might  be  directed  how  to  improve  unsatisfactory  trees 
which  ought  to  be  made  to  pay  for  the  labour  of  attending  to  them, 
or  make  room  for  others  that  Avill. 
Those  who  cannot  look  after  the  trees  and  fruit  themselves,  should 
place  them  in  the  hands  of  an  intelligent  labourer.  Give  him  a 
respectable  wage,  with  a  comfortable  house  and  garden.  Satisfy  your¬ 
self  that  he  is  the  man  for  the  place,  and  fix  him  to  it.  Teach  him 
to  snatch  the  superfluous  shoots  ofi‘  in  summer,  to  shorten  back  spurs, 
not  only  on  wall  trees  but  those  in  the  open,  to  discriminate  between 
branches  that  are  healthy  and  those  that  are  brown  half  through. 
Such  a  man  will  be  found  invaluable  also  in  the  gathering  and  storing 
of  fruit.  Most  gardeners  knoAV  hoAv  difficult  it  is  to  impress  on  old 
and  young  men  the  necessity  of  careful  handling.  I  do  not  intend  to 
convey  that  such  a  man  would  have  fruit  trees  as  his  primaiy  object, 
he  would  be  equally  useful  in  otiier  departments. 
We  have  our  share  of  decorative  work,  and  know  the  A’alue  of 
200  or  so  of  Chrysanthemum  plants  for  cutting  from  to  carry, us  on 
until  the  end  of  January,  in  addition  to  those  grown  for  exhibition. 
There  are,  also,  300  or  400 Cyclameliis  in  5,  6,  and  7-inch  pots;  100  or 
so  of  Arums  in  8,  9,  and  10-inch  pots  kept  in  them  through  the 
summer,  specimen  Azaleas  and  other  plants  noAv  so  generally  employed 
in  decorating,  to  be  attended  to.  Yet  the  young  men  (and  this  is 
the  point)  have  been  able  to  help  with  fruit  gathering  (not  a  small 
matter  with  us  for  a  private  establishment  this  year)  the  watering  of 
trees  against  walls  and  those  in  the  open;  also  Celery  (our  Avater 
is  applied  Avith  buckets),  and  the  men  are  noAv  ready  to  give  a 
little  assistance  Avith  mailing,  lilting,  or  planting,  or  any  other  work 
where  it  is  advantageous  to  concentrate  labour.  Are  we  more 
favourably  situated  than  others  generally  ?  I  shall  have  no  difficulty 
in  showing  that  we  are  not. 
With  respect  to  table  decorations  it  seems  I  havm  been  misled.  My 
employer,  in  whose  taste  and  knowledge  I  have  the  greatest  confidence, 
orders  the  fruit  to  be  placed  on  the  table.  1  am  alvvays  anxious  to 
learn,  and  have  gone  to  some  expense  to  add  to  obtained  knowledge  in 
this  important  part  of  a  gardener’s  duties.  I  should  like  to  knoAV  what 
is  meant  by  “  Highest  Circles.”  Does  it  include  those  who  have  fruit 
of  their  own,  similar  to  what  is  seen  at  Chester,  Shrewsbury,  and 
other  places  on  the  fruit  and  decorative  tables,  or  does  it  mean  those 
who  buy  what  fruit  they  want  and  employ  decorators  ? 
There  is  an  advantage  in  having  fruit  handed  round,  an  advantage 
I  fear  too  many  are  ready  to  avail  themselves  of.  I  had  looked  upon 
the  dessert  tables  at  our  best  shows  as  a  toon  to  gardeners  who  have 
,much  decorative  work  to  do.  “  H.  D.”  has  “  set  me  longing,”  and  to 
use  a  frequent  expression  of  our  young  men,  I  should  hke  to  see 
what  others  do.  Horticultural  societies  have  done  much  to  help 
'gardeners ;  could  they  still  add  another  class  ?  There  are  others, 
beside  myself,  Avho  would  like  to  see  what  is  done  in  the  “  Highest 
Circles.”— S.  B.  0.  ' 
[It  is  highly  creditable  to  young  men  to  give  willing  aid  in  outdoor 
AVork  of  the  nature  indicated.  It  is  excellent  practice,  and  they  a\u11 
