404 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARbENER. 
May  8,  1902. 
and  very  regularly  incurved;  Mrs.  Ed.  Mawley,  the  coming 
yellow,  having  lovely  petals,  incurving  and  narrow ;  Clarence 
Webb,  reddish  colour  lighted  up  at  tlio  base  with  yellow,  very 
attractive;  Gabriel,  crimson  and  white,  a  very  beautiful  flower, 
and  much  incurved  in  the  petal. 
Last  season,  too,  was  unusually  prolific  in  bicoloured  varieties. 
Tliose  we  liked  best  were  Mrs.  H.  J.  Jones,  one  of  the  best; 
Gabriel,  named  above;  Columbia,  very  nice;  Richard  Dean,  dis¬ 
tinctly  tipped  with  white ;  Ringdove,  a  variety,  which  shades  off 
from  dove  colour  to  white  so  gradually  that  there  is  no'  definite 
distinction  between  the  two  colours.  Two  very  dark  varieties 
were  introduced,  and  a  great  contrast  one  tO'  the  other.  These 
were  Aunt  Chloe  and  J.  H.  Jackson,  both  almost  black.  Aunt 
Chloe  was  fair  sized,  refined  in  the  petal,  and  glossy  in  its 
blackness  ;  and  J.  H.  Jackson  very  large,  somewhat  heavy  at  the 
base  of  petals. 
Scarlets,  including  reds  of  all  sorts,  w’ere  represented,  and 
were  very  fine  in  the  following  :  Miss  Winchester  and  Mrs.  Win- 
stanley,  both  worth  getting;  and  a  very  fine  salmon,  with  the 
longest  of  fine  petals,  was  Clara  Stredwick.  One  pure  white  and 
most  valuable  for  florists,  was  Spotless  Queen,  a  branch  of  wdiich 
that  we  saw  exhibited,  a  fine  erect  habit.  Orange  colours  were 
represented  in  Mrs.  Hobart  and  Mrs.  McKergow,  and  one  or 
two  beautifully  blended  colours:  In  P.  W.  Tulloch,  an  irregular 
incurved  petalled  flower,  and  Ophir,  very  pretty ;  while 
John  Burns,  pui'plish  crimson,  was  several  times  noted. 
In  giving  this  selection  it  must  not  be  supposed  that  we  have 
included  absolutely  every  flower  worth  having  of  the  year.  This 
would  be  impossible  until  after  all  had  been  grown  and  weeded 
out,  and,  in  fact,  several  others  we  saw  that,  although,  owing 
to  the  number  entered,  they  did  not  receive  so  high  awards,  were 
yet  good,  and  for  their  respective  uses  amongst  the  best.  One  or 
two  of  these  were  Arab,  Khaki  (very  large),  and  Sailor  Prince. 
Each  year  there  is  some  move  towards  the  introduction  of  a 
section  of  Pompon  Cactus,  but  as  yet,  notwithstanding  several 
having  beep  introduced,  no  really  Pompon  flowers  have  been  raised. 
There  is  little  doubt  that  the  near  future  will  see  much  greater 
strides  in  this  branch,  and  when  flowers  Avhich  come  small 
naturally,  and  have  tiny  pointed  petals,  they  will  be  much 
appreciated. 
The  last  two  or  three  summers  have  been  very  misleading, 
owing  to  the  drought,  many  seedlings  exhibiting  very  miniature 
blossoms,  which,  when  grown  in  more  favourable  circumstances, 
filled  out  tO'  the  usual  size.  There  are  on©  or  twO'  this  year, 
amongst  which  is  Nana,  which  was  very  small  and  of  good  form, 
and  Freedom,  both  crimson  scarlet  in  colour.  This  brief  review  of 
a  few  of  the  very  finest  we  do  not  pledge  to  be  infallible,  but,  as  far 
as  can  be  judged  from  the  blooms  seen,  it  embraces  the  cream  of 
the  new  Cactus  Dahlias  of  1902. — Old  Grower. 
- - - 
The  Fruit  Supply  of  These  Islauds. 
What  an  unlooked  for  pleasure  the  Journal  of  April  3  con¬ 
tained  !  I  shall  certainly  not  be  singular  in  my  wish  to  express 
most  earnest  appreciation  of  the  article  over  the  well  known,  but 
nowadays  seldom  seen,  nom  de  plume,  “  Herefordshire 
Incumbent.”  Many  articles  have  I  read  in  days  gone  by  emanat¬ 
ing  from  this  writer,  yet  with  non©  can  I  remember  to  have  been 
in  closer  agreement  than  this  last-.  The  subject  is  one  which  has 
been  discussed  in  print  and  out  of  print,  by  fruit  growers,  and  by 
those  who  know  nothing  whatever  about  fruit,  and  so  far  3t 
appears  with  but  poor  results.  Of  what  avail  is  it  to  go  over  and 
over  again  the  old  story  of  the  obstacles  that  undoubtedly  exist 
in  the  way  of  fimit  culture  on  a  large  scale?  Heavy  freight  rates, 
insecurity  of  land  tenure,  the  impossibility  of  obtaining  land  of  a 
satisfactory  character  in  suitable  localities.  The  labour  difficulty 
is  a  serious  matter  which  was  not  touched  on  by  the  reverend 
contributor ;  yet  this  is  a  real  trouble  in  some  districts,  and  can¬ 
not  possibly  be  ignored. 
In  past  seasons  of  glut  there  have  been  instances  Avhere 
growers  have  been  compelled  to  allow  fruit  to  rot,  preferably  to 
gathering  and  consigning,  owing  to  labour  expenses  added  to 
heavy  carriage  rates.  Here  there  appears  to  be  a'special  call  for 
the  introduction  of  fruit-drying  apparatus  of  up-to-date  capacity. 
Set  up  in  fruit-growing  districts  on  some  co-operative  principle, 
these  might  be  a  i)owerful  means  for  good,  to  say  nothing  of 
profit.  But  even  here  the  Avay  cannot  be  rushed  over  in  a  violent 
hurry.  Proof  miist  come  from  small  experiments,  conducted  in 
a  business-like  manner,  before  anything  of  an  expensive  nature 
can  be  carried  out  in  this  direction.  Let  us  turn  back  to  one 
of  the  not  insurmountable  obstacles — that  of  freight  rates.  This 
matter  has  been  wrangled  over  many  times,  and  I  fear  we  are  in 
much  the  same  position  we  were  years  ago.  In  the  able  article 
of  which  I  have  already  spoken,  there  is  the  suggestion  of  the 
possibility  of  government  administration  of  railways.  'llns 
might  certainly  make  a  vast  amount  of  difference,  but  I  must 
confess  there  is  small  expectation  on  my  part  of  ever  seeing  it 
come  to  pass. 
There  is  no  doubt  that  agitation  and  discussion  have  done 
something  towards  furthering  the  cause  of  fruit  culture  during 
the  past  few  years.  We  have  only  to  witness  the  various 
benefits  cited.  County  Councils  in  various  parts  of  the  country 
do  what  can  be  done  as  far  as  their  means  allow.  But  can  they 
procure  land?  Of  course  not  to  any  extent.  And  in  all  cases, 
with  which  I  am  acquainted  the  work  that  is  being  done  is  carried 
out  on  land  held  by  them  upon  a  short  tenancy.  Scholarships, 
yes !  And  wliat  have  these  don©  in  extending  the  planting  and; 
marketing  of  fruit?  Lectures,  too!  These  may  have  helped  to. 
stay  the  influx  of  foreign  fruit ;  it  is  scarcely  likely  they  would ! 
Nor  do  I  suppose  they  were  ever  expected  to  do  so  to  any  great 
extent.  Well  may  the  writer  on  page  290  exclaim  “The  ball, 
rolls  slowly !  ” 
Occasionally  there  are  evolved  from  the  Board  of  Trade  certain 
leaflets  of  a  liighly  technical  nature.  I  have  nO'  desire  to  be 
ungrateful,  but  these  appear  to  me  little  more  than  a  rehash  (as. 
to  their  contents),  of  remedies  and  methods  of  procedure  fre¬ 
quently  previously  met  with  in  horticultural  journals.  If  this, 
is  the  outcome  of  years  of  agitating  by  growers  and  wmiters. 
(because  apart  from  County  Council  schemes  I  can  discover 
nothing  else)  from  successive  governments,  surely  I  shall  not  be 
charged  with  undue  pessimism  if  I  look  askance,  not  to  say  with 
awe,  upon  even  a  hint  of  any  hope  of  governmental  management 
of  railways.  Something  nearer  home  occurs  to  mind  at  this, 
moment.  Recently  visiting  a  noted  Midland  holiday  resort,  L 
noticed  a  dish  of  Apples  placarded  “  Real  English  ”  in  one  of  the 
fruiterers’  windows.  These  were  ruddy  cheeked  American 
Baldwins  if  any  were  ever  seen  in  this  world ;  after  travelling 
hundreds  of  miles  by  rail  and  thousands  by  sea,  there  they  lay 
competing  with  good  honest  British  produce.  Amongst  the 
crowds  of  folks  in  the  street  how  many  would  know  the  origin 
of  these  mealy  insided  impostors?  I  failed  to  ask  the  price,  but 
one  cannot  help  wondering  what  the  returns  to  the  groAver  can  be 
after  all  the  costs  of  transit  have  been  provided. 
I  know  perfect]5^  well,  so  do  numbers  of  others,  that  this  is. 
but  ploughing  up  old  ground.  The  repetition  of  ancient 
grievances  to  be  met  as  in  times  past  Avith  OAvl-like  cries  of 
“  vested  interests,”  or  the  sacredness  of  property.  But  what 
of  these  in  the  face  of  a  leakage  of  millions  of  pounds  out  of  this, 
country,  Avhich  in  great  part  might  be  stopped?  What  are' 
“  vested  interests  ”  compared  Avith  the  right  of  a  people  to  be 
supplied  at  reasonable  terms  Avith  Avholesome  food?  Something: 
can  surely  be  done  to  bring  to  the  poor  of  our  large  toAvns  and 
cities  more  of  the  joyous  benefits  of  Nature.  Is  there  no  AA^ay  of 
escaping  market  tolls  and  commission  agents’  fees,  wdiich  are 
such  a  tax  on  Ioav  priced  products,  in  times  of  excessive  plenty,  so 
that  not  only  the  groAver  may  be  reAA’arded  for  bounteous  crops 
but  the  loAAdy  customer  also? 
Influences  must  surely  in  time  make  themselves  felt,  and 
help  in  the  extension  of  AAdiat  might  prove  a  national  blessing,. 
The  R.H.S.,  Avith  its  continually  increasing  roll  of  members,  and' 
its  improving  financial  resources,  could,  doubtless,  bring  great 
forces  to  bear  upon  this  question.  Private  enterprise  has  done 
much.  We  have  only  to  AAdtness  a  report  that  the  returns  quoted 
from  a  certain  fruit  farm  in  Bedfordshire  have  been  set  doAvn  at 
£50  to  £80  per  acre.  If  this  can  be  verified,  antiquated  land' 
systems  ought  not  to  be  allow'ed  to  block  the  AA’ay  for  far-reaching, 
efforts.  Five  great  essentials  appear  to  be  required  before  this 
great  unnecessai'y  outpouring  of  money  can  be  checked. 
Business  aptitude,  cultural  knoAvledge,  capital.  These  three 
can,  no  doubt,  be  found,  and  Avould  be  found  Avithout  loss  of  time. 
Cheap  but  quick  of  transit  from  the  fruit  growing  districts 
to  the  thickly  populated  centres;  and  last  of  all,  though  it 
perhaps  should  have  been  first  set  doAvn,  land ;  A'es !  the  land ! 
Here  is  the  greatest  essential  of  all,  for  AA-ithout  the  others 
are  as  nothing.  Her©  is  the  crux  of  the  AA’hole  ,  ■  ;tion.  We 
have,  as  stated,  three  of  the  requirements  needful  ,r  success. 
The  freight  trouble  Avill  doubtless  in  time  be  righted.  Then  let  th©' 
groAvers  who  desire  it  liav©  the  land  at  equitable  rates,  and  upon 
reasonable  holding  terms.  Until  these  things  are  conceded  there 
may  be  hope,  there  may  be  mighty  pullings  together,  endless 
discussion  Avhich  I  trust  Avill  not  noAV  cease,  but  there  can  be  no 
really  successful  extension  of  fruit  culture  in  its  broadest  sense- 
in  this  country. — J.  W.,  Hopton  Hall  Gardens. 
Specimen  Bush  of  a  ShoAW  Dahlia. 
The  specimen  Show  Dahlia  illustrated  on  another  page  this 
Aveek  is  not  AA-ithout  interest.  As  a  specimen  it  must  have  gratified 
the  heart  of  the  grower.  Th©  method  of  protecting  the  blooms- 
may  be  useful  as  a  hint  to  beginners.  The  Shows  and  the  Fancies 
are  not  quite  forgotten  even  in  these  days,  but  perhaps  such- 
robust  specimens  as  the  one  shown  are  not  now  common. 
