i88i.] THE CALEDONIAN HORT. SOC. SHOW. 475 



ordinarily fine examples of good culture. Hollyhock, Gladiolus, &c., were 

 either poor in quality or nothing out of the common about them. Messrs 

 Todd & Co., Maitland Street, had some bouquets, a wreath, &c, — beautiful 

 examples of this kind of thing. 



As already noted, the Grapes were of very high excellence ; there were 

 also a great many of them ; and many of the competing lots were so 

 very close as to make judging rather an unpleasant duty, while the role 

 of the critic in consequence was a very easy one, and duly followed up 

 by a large number of people who knew all the points before them, weak 

 and strong alike. This is a very pleasant occupation, at the same time 

 that it enlarges one's faculties of observation, and is altogether a most bene- 

 ficial manner of passing the time at a fruit show. It has, however, one draw- 

 back—I can only think of one at present — there is a difficulty that we poor 

 reporters feel very much, and that is, we would also like to examine the fruit, 

 in order to allow the large constituency of gardeners who cannot get to see the 

 fruit for themselves to have at least some idea as to how it looks. Of course 

 it doesn't matter at all that many ladies never get near the tables. Well, the 

 great feature was the Grapes. M'Indoe's collections of fruits were highly 

 meritorious, his Pears, Peaches, &;c., being better than those of any other com- 

 petitors; but in the class for eight sorts, the Broxmouth Grapes overweighted 

 even the general high quality so noticeable throughout his collections. For 

 eight bunches of Grapes, Mr M'Indoe was the only exhibitor; the sorts were 

 Black Hamburg and Barbarossa, fine and good Gros Colmar, and Duke of 

 Buccleuch. For four bunches, Mr Kirk, who made a sensation two or three 

 years ago, was barely first, Mr M'Kinnon following very closely indeed. In 

 the twelve-bunch class, the weight of the Broxmouth Grapes again proved 

 overpowering, though the second lot was again very close. Especially fine 

 were the Muscat of Alexandria, the Gros Colmars, the Alicantes, and Buck- 

 land Sweetwater in the first lot — Barbarossa, Trebbiano, and Duke of Buccleuch 

 being the strong bunches in the other. In the classes for particular varieties, 

 in many cases the first and second prize lots were of the closest, some grand 

 examples of highly finished Grapes being shown. In the Black Hamburg, 

 Muscat of Alexandria, Gros Colmar, Black Alicante, Lady Downes, Duke of 

 Buccleuch, and Golden Champion classes, this was especially noticeable. We 

 have seen much finer Pine -apples than were forward at this show; but 

 Peaches, though not large in number, were extra fine. Much dissatisfaction 

 was shown over the judging of these, large and fine-looking fruit being passed 

 for that of a smaller size. Apricots were very fine indeed ; and the first-prize 

 collection of hardy fruit was a most notable one. 



In the vegetable classes, the first-prize collection in gardeners' section was 

 the only noteworthy lot ; but in the classes for particular kinds, some grand 

 examples of high-class culture were staged. In addition to the Crotons from 

 Messrs Ireland & Thomson, which obtained first-class certificates, a Lobelia 

 from Messrs Downie & Laird, named "Miss Duncan," had a like award; as 

 also a new Heath from Mr TurnbuU, Bothwell Castle, which is named Erica 

 Thompsoni : this is a most floriferous variety, with rosy tube and white petal ; 

 the flowers are borne in round spikes. 



The judges were: — Messrs Thomson, Clovenfords; John Methven, Blyths- 

 wood ; Charles Johnstone, Dalhousie ; M'Kinnon, Scone Palace; Campbell, 

 Merton Hall ; Galloway, Minto ; Lindsay, Botanic Gardens ; Shearer, land- 

 scape-gardener, Edinburgh; M'Kenzie, Warriston ; Souza, Tough; Anderson, 

 Oxenford ; and Grey, Eglinton, 



