56 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AXD  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
January  15,  1903. 
National  Fruit  Growers’  Federation. 
It  is  fitting  that  ttic  JaurriaJ  of  Iloi  ticxilture,  as  the  leading 
journal  in  promoting  the  cause  of  British  fruit  growing  and  of 
encouraging  the  interests  of  the  home  fruit  grower,  .should  be 
the  first  tO'  bring  prominently  before  British  gardeners  and 
farmers  the  aims  and  objects  of  the  Fedei'ation  of  Fruit 
Growers  formed  last  April  in  London.  AVe  have  a  letter  from 
Mr.  A.  T.  Matthews  which  refers  to  the  origin  of  the  Federation 
movement,  and  relates  the  work  now  being  undertaken.  This 
letter  we  give  here  as  follows “  The  National  Fruit  Growers’ 
Federation  was  started  in  the  spring  of  1902,  at  a  repre.sentative 
meeting  of  growers  from  all  the  principal  fruit  growing  counties. 
It  includes  market  gardeners;  but  as  all  market  gardeners  grow’ 
fruit  it  was  not  thought  necessary  to  include  them  in  the  title. 
“The  objects  are  set  out  in  the  accompanying  rules  (see 
below),  and  the  first  in  order  of  these  is  already  being  vigorously 
dealt  with,  viz.,  improved  railway  facilities,  and  in  this  direc¬ 
tion  everything  points  to  a  great  and  .substantial  .succe.ss.  Several 
companies  are  already  making  great  efforts  to  meet  the  Federa¬ 
tion’s  requirements,  and  the  Advi.sory  Committee  is  already 
actively  negotiating  with  their  officials  on  the  details  of  most 
important  reforms^  The  list  of  vice-presidents  comprises  many 
M.P,’s  representing  fruit  di.stricts.  The  committee  is  composed 
of  leading  grow’ers  and  practical  bnsiness  men.” 
The  List  of  Officeus. 
The  list  of  officers  is  certainly  an  influential  one,  and  such  as 
should  inspire  confidence  in  the  success  of  the  association’s  work : 
—  Patron,  Most  Hon.  the  Marquess  Camden.  President,  Colonel 
C.  W.  Long,  M.P.  Vice-presidents,  Major  Best,  C.  W.  Rad- 
cliffe-Cooke,  E.sq.,  P.  Hart  Dyke,  E.sq.,  H.  G.  Frew,  Esq.,  J.P., 
P.  S.  Foster,  E.sq..  M.P.,  Walter  Fremlin,  Esq.,  Sir  A.  F.  God¬ 
son,  M.P.,  Jno.  Howard,  Esq.,  M,P.,  Captain  A.  H.  Lee,  M.P., 
Herbert  Leney,  Esq.,  C.  Guy  Pirn,  Es((.,  M.P.,  Colonel  C.  E. 
Warde,  M.P.,  Geo.  White,  Esq.,  M.P.  The  Provisional  Executive 
Committee  is  repre.sentative  of  the  counties: — S.  Boorman, 
Surrey;  Wm.  Bracey,  jun.,  Norfolk;  Wm.  Cable,  Kent;  G.  E. 
Ciiam'pion,  Kent;  Wm.  Craze,  Cornwall;  Geo.  Farmer,  Kent; 
H.  F.  Getting,  Herefordshire;  I.  Godber,  Beds.;  A.  Grant,  Cam- 
bridge.shire ;  C.  H.  Hooper,  Kent ;  W.  Horne,  Kent ;  J.  Idiens, 
Worcestershire;  W.  Idiens,  Norfolk;  AV.  Kruse,  Cornwall;  J.  D. 
Large,  Kent;  H.  Leney,  Kent ;  A.  H.  H.  Matthews,  Sec.  Central 
Chambers  of  Agriculture;  Thos.  May.  Kent;  A.  Mi.skin,  Kent; 
S.  Moles,  Cambridge.shire ;  C.  AV.  Radcliffe-Cooke,  Hereford ; 
AV.  H.  Skinner,  Kent;  F.  Smith,  Kent;  A.  S.  White,  Kent; 
AV.  AA’ing,  Norfolk;  and  C.  D.  AAnse,  Gloucestershire. 
The  Feder.4tion’s  Objects. 
Some  weeks  ago  we  published  a  copy  of  the  objects  of  the 
Federation,  and  do  so  again  by  way  of  emphasising  and  fixing 
in  the  minds  of  readers,  the  scope  of  this  important  body’s  work. 
“  The  objects  of  the  Federation  are  to  create  a  permanent 
central  organisation  representative  of  the  fruit  growers  and 
market  gardeners  of  the  ITiited  Kingdom,  for  the  promotion  of 
their  common  interests  as  a  whole,  while  reserving  perfect  local 
liberty  of  action  to  the  comstituent  members. 
(a)  To  prevent  by  every  possible  means  the  granting  by  rail¬ 
way  companies  of  preferential  rates  and  facilities  for  the 
carriage  of  foreign  fruit  and  market  garden  produce. 
(b)  To  secure  quicker  means  of  transit  and  fair  rates  from  rail¬ 
way  companies,  and  consider  complaints  which  are  likely 
to  be  ignored  by  companies  when  made  by  individual 
members  of  the  Federation. 
(c)  To  prevent  jams  made  of  foreign  fruit  being  sold  by  mis- 
de.scription,  misrepresentation,  or  implication,  as  being 
made  of  home-grown  fruit,  and  to  urge  the  distinct  label¬ 
ling  of  Briti.sh  fruit  jams  ;  and  also  to  prevent  the  sale  of 
fresh  fruit,  either  wholesale  or  retail,  by  misdescription  or 
misrepresentation. 
(d)  To  affiliate  with  any  other  kindred  society  or  societies. 
(e)  To  promote,  support,  or  oppose  legislative  or  other 
measures  affecting  the  aforesaid  trade. 
(f)  The  doing  of  all  such  things  as  may  be  conducive  to  the 
prosperity  of  fruit  growers  and  market  gardeners,  or  inci¬ 
dental  to  the  attainment  of  the  above  objects. 
(g)  The  collection  and  dissemination  of  .statistical  and  other 
information  relating  to  the  fruit-growing  industry.” 
Deputation  to  the  Railway  Companies. 
Notices  have  appeared  in  this  and  other  gardening  journals, 
of  the  deputation  on  November  4  from  the  Federation,  to  urge 
upon  the  general  managers  of  the  great  railway  companies  the 
necessity  which  exists  for  certain  improvements  in  the  transit  of 
fruit  and  vegetables.  The  deputation  consisted  of  delegates  from 
nine  of  the  principal  fruit  growing  counties,  and  were  introduced 
by  Colonel  C,  AV.  Long,  M.P.,  president,  wlio  said  that  what  the 
growers  wanted  ivas  an  improved  system  of  di.stribution,  which 
included  the  provision  of  .suitable  trucks  for  the  conveyance  of 
fruit,  more  careful  loading,  the  avoidance  of  unnecessary  delays 
in  tran.sit,  quicker  delivery  from  terminus  to  market,  and  prompt 
return  of  empties.  They  also  a.sked  for  uniform  mileage  rates, 
and  a  more  liberal  and  clearer  definition  of  what  was  meant  by 
the  owner’s  risk  rate. 
(1)  Attention  was  called  to  the  very  inferior  accommodation 
afforded  by  the  existing  trucks,  which,  being  uncovered, 
nece.ssitated  the  u.se  of  sheets,  and  these,  be.sides  causing 
the  fruit  to  heat  from  exposure  to  the  sun  and  preventing 
ventilation,  led  to  serious  damage  by  the  companie.s’ 
.servants  .stepping  on  the  fruit  while  covering  the  trucks. 
Instead  of  these  open  waggons,  it  was  urged  that  covered 
but  ventilated  trucks  should  be  provided. 
(2)  For  long  distances,  the  introduction  of  refrigerator  or 
cool,  dry  air  cars,  was  strongly  advocated  by  several 
speakers.  It  was  shown  that  Strawberries  and  other  soft 
.summer  fruits  could  be  conveyed  by  these  cars  from  Corn¬ 
wall  to  Gla.sgow  in  perfect  condition,  keeping  fresh  for 
several  days,  thereby  preventing  the  present  frequent 
heavy  lo.sse.s  by  forced  sales  in  times  of  over-.supply,  and 
opening  up  new  markets  in  districts  now  impossible  to 
reach. 
(3)  A  uniform  mileage  scale  of  rates  for  fruit  and  vegetables 
similar  to  those  in  u.se  on  the  Great  AA’'estern  system  was 
asked  for,  to  enable  senders  to  ascertain  exactly  the  cost 
of  carriage  to  near  or  distant  markets,  and  to  avoid  the 
necessity  for  arranging  special  rates,  which  often  take  so 
long  to  negotiate  that  they  are  rendered  useless. 
(4)  As  regards  owners’  risk  rates,  it  was  pointed  out  that  the 
recent  change  made  by  the  companies,  by  which  they  repu¬ 
diate  any  respomsibility  for  loss  beyond  that  occasioned  by 
the  wilful  misconduct  of  their  servants,  called  for  a  clearer 
and  more  liberal  interpretation.  At  the  same  tiiye  it  was 
ob.served  that  these  ri.sks  w’ould  be  greatly  mitigated  if 
the  companies  acceded  to  the  requests  of  the  deputation 
for  improved  conveyances,  &c. 
(5)  Delays  in  transit,  especially  as  regarded  Kent,  were  dwelt 
upon  by-  the  speakers,  and  an  extended  use  of  passenger 
trains  was  urged. 
(6)  Improvement  in  the  conveyance  of  fruit  from  terminus  to 
market,  where  much  of  the  delay  occurred  for  want  of 
sufficiency  of  vans  and  station  accommodation,  and  a 
prompt  return  of  empties,  were  also  enlarged  upon. 
In  his  final  I’emarks,  Colonel  Long  offered  the  very  important 
suggestion  that  an  Advisory  Committee  of  the  Federation  slioulc! 
be  appointed,  to  confer  ivith  the  representatives  of  the  companie.s 
from  time  to  time  on  que.stions  affecting  the  fruit  traffic,  and  the 
Chairman  of  the  Boaz’d  of  General  Managers,  in  his  reply, 
welcomed  the  proposal  as  a  good  and  useful  one,  at  the  same  time 
as.suring  the  deputation  that  the  que.stions  laid  before  them 
should  receive  mo.st  careful  attention. 
The  Answer  by  the  Railway  Companies. 
AVe  are  permitted  to  record  the  main  points  in  the  answer 
given  by  the  railway  companies  in  reply  to  the  foregoing  sugges¬ 
tions  of  the  deputation  of  November  4.  In  reference  to  point  1, 
the  railway  companies  desire,  to  see  the  cross-handled  baskets 
abolished,  or,  if  this  cannot  be  done,  that  fruit  senders  introduce 
a  rough  form  of  crate  into  which  a  number  of  the  baskets  can  be 
stowed.  The  companies  are  now  providing  suitable  ventilated 
waggons  for  the  classes  of  fruit  requiring  them. 
In  the  matter  of  iirompt  delivery,  the  companies  reply  that 
more  ought  to  be  done  by  the  consignees,  as  at  present  the  rail¬ 
way  carters  are  sometimes  detained  at  the  markets  for  long 
periods,  in  certain  ca.ses  extending  to  the  entire  day,  and  they 
now  propose  to  make  it  a  rule  that  their  vans  will  not  remain 
longer  than  a  given  time  at  a  consignee’s  prenii.ses  after  intimat¬ 
ing  that  they  are  prepared  to  tender  deliver^'.  The  railway 
companies  promise  to  facilitate  fruit  despatch,  and  ask  the  co¬ 
operation  of  the  senders. 
As  regards  the  sugge.sting  for  a  better  classification  of  fruit 
and  vegetables,  the  railway  companies  regret  that  they  cannot 
make  an  alteration.  The  present  classification  was  practically 
agreed  between  the  railway  companies  and  the  traders  at  the 
time  of  the  revision  of  the  railway  classification  during  the  Parlia¬ 
mentary  inquiry. 
AVork  in  Progress. 
The  Advisory  Committee  suggested  by  the  deputation  has 
since  been  appointed  and  is  now  bu.sily  engaged,  as  Mr.  Matthews’ 
letter  shows.  It  represents  all  the  great  fruit-growing  districts, 
but  special  sub-committees  will  be  appointed  to  deal  with  any 
local  cases  which  may  arise  calling  for  the  intervention  of  the 
Federation. 
Tims  in  the  facts  here  laid  before  us,  we  have  the  inception 
of  the  Federation  recoi'ded,  its  objects  tabulated,  and  the  .success 
of  its  solicitations  briefly  notified.  AVe  heartily  desire  to  see  it 
prosper  and  bring  about  certain  very  necessary  reforms,  and  by- 
and-by  our  dream  of  co-operativelyworked  fruit  farms  in  numerous 
counties  of  the  three  kingdoms  may  become  a  practical  realit.y. 
Then  will  the  millions  of  pounds  sterling  which  are  now  paid 
aw’ay  for  foreign  fruit  enter  the  pockets  and  banks  of  British 
