1869.] CALEDONIAN HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 467 



an entirely new exliibitor, Mr George Jolinston, gardener to Earl Strathmore^ 

 Glamis Castle. The victories gained by Mr Johnston were not only numerous, 

 but in many instances singularly decisive. It may here be stated that the Grapes 

 shown by Mr Johnston were from Vines three years planted, and growing in 

 aerated borders. Whether this system be correct or not (and high authorities are 

 divided on this point), there can be no doubt but that on this occasion the prin- 

 ciple of aerated borders has produced splendid results ; though whether these re- 

 sults are of a fitful, and consequently uncertain, chai'acter, or whether they are 

 certain and enduring, remains to be seen. It is, however, a remarkable circum- 

 stance that Mr Fowler, who was all-powerful four years ago, was not an exhibitor 

 on this occasion, his borders being aerated. 



Mr Johnston had a decisive victory in the class for eight varieties of Grapes — 

 one bunch of each. He had Black Morocco, vex'y fine indeed ; Kaisin du Calabre, 

 also fine ; Lady Downes Se-edling ; Duchess of Buccleuch, a grand though small- 

 berried Grape, perhaps unsurpassed for flavour ; Black Hamburg, Muscat of 

 Alexandria, Muscat Hamburg, and Alicante, very finely finished, 2d, Mr Ban- 

 nerman, gardener to Lord Bagot, Rugby, with Alicante, Gros Guillaume, Muscat 

 of Alexandria, Lady Downes, Black Teneriffe, Mrs Piuce, "West's St Peter's, and 

 Black Hamburg. 3d, Mr Thomson, Dalkeith, with Black Hamburg, Muscat of 

 Alexandria, very fine ; Mrs Pince, Trebbiano, Golden Champion in fine condition, 

 and looking all over a first-class Grape ; Lady Downes, the new white Lady 

 Downes, to all appearance a splendid late Grape, and Alicante. Messrs Lane & Son 

 of Berkhampstead also exhibited. With four kinds of Grapes, one bunch of each, 

 Mr William Bryden, gardener to Sir William Wallace, Lochryan House, Wigtown- 

 shire, had an excellent lot, well up in size both in bunch and berry ; his Golden 

 Hamburg was quite first-rate, and so was Alicante, with very good Bowood Mus- 

 cat and Muscat Hamburg. Mr M'Connochie, gardener to A. Smollett, Esq., Cam- 

 eron House, Dumbartonshire, had Black Morocco, Muscat of Alexandria, Black 

 Prince, and Hamburg, very good and uniform. Mr William Meade, gardener to 

 Raikes Currie, Esq., Minely Manor, had Muscat Hamburg very fine in his group. Mr 

 Bannerman had Gros Guillaume in good order ; Mr Meredith, who was not placed, 

 had Hamburg and Lady Downes, good ; and Mr Lees, Tynninghame, had also a fair 

 collection. In the two-bunch Black Hamburg, two Muscat of Alexandria, one 

 bunch of each of the above named, one Alicante, one Lady Downes, one flavoured 

 white, Duchess of Buccleuch, one flavoured black, Muscat Hamburg ; one finest 

 bloom, the Alicante just referred to, and a collection of Grapes, not included in 

 other classes — in these ten diS'erent classes, wonderful to relate, Mr Johnston 

 was first. All his Grapes showed excellent cultivation, and for a young exhibitor 

 the wonder is how he brought and staged them so safely without destroying the 

 bloom. If there was one bunch more than another that created almost a sensa- 

 tion, it was the Alicante, so finely grown in the first instance as to assume model 

 proportions, and then so densely covered with bloom as if it had been under the 

 influence of a " heavy dew " out of doors. In these classes, keeping out the col- 

 lection of Grapes and the bloom, there were from seventeen to twenty-four entries, 

 showing how well the prizes were contested. Mr Bryden took second prize 

 with good Muscat of Alexandria. Mr Louden, gardener to T. Barnes, Esq., 

 Salop, had the best ripened bunches, but the berries were small. Mr Kirk- 

 patrick, gardener to Lord Abercromby, Airthrey Castle, had fine bunches ; 

 and 80 had Mr Ingram, Alnwick, and Mr Lees. Mr Meade and Mr Ingram 

 had good single bunches of Muscat of Alexandria. Mr Bannerman had a 

 good second lot of Lady Downes. Mr Brunton, gardener to Sir D. Kin- 

 loch, Gilmerton ; Mr Fraser, Biggar ; and Mr Meredith, also had good dishes. 



