The National Fruit Trials

Abstract

Soon after the first world war, with a reviving interest in fruit growing, the need for disinterested trials to evaluate new varieties of hardy fruits became apparent in Great Britain. Trials of cereals and other short-lived crops had been in existence many years, although a farmer wishing to try a new wheat or a new cabbage had little to lose if the variety failed. On the other hand, a fruit grower who planted a new variety would probably have to wait about ten years before he found whether or not it came up to commercial standards and failure would be costly. The originator of a new variety is quite naturally going to advertise his article and emphasize its merits rather than its faults, in an endeavour to persuade growers to plant his variety. It was therefore felt that trials of hardy fruits should be established to provide growers with a yardstick. To this end, the National Fruit Trials were established in 1922 through the joint efforts of the Royal Horticultural Society and the Ministry of Agriculture.