1879.] SCOTTISH HORTICULTURAL ASSOCIATION. 23; 



SCOTTISH HORTICULTURAL ASSOCIATION. 



The first ordinary meeting of the second session was held in the Hall, 5 St 

 Andrew Square, Edinburgh, on the evening of Tuesday the 1st ult. — Mr M. 

 Dunn, president, in the chair. Ten new members having been proposed and 

 seconded, the president proceeded to deliver his opening address. The Associa- 

 tion, he remarked, had entered upon the third year of its existence under the 

 most favourable auspices — more than 100 members had been added to the roll 

 during the past year — able and instructive papers had been read at the several 

 meetings — and judging from the printed syllabus which had been circulated 

 among the members, there was no reason to doubt that the meetings during 

 the current year would be quite as interesting as those of the past. A number 

 of schemes for advancing its usefulness were at present under the consideration 

 of the council ; one of these, he might mention, was the granting of certificates 

 to exhibitors of articles which, though not really new, showed superior cul- 

 tural skill. Mr Dunn concluded his address by warmly admonishing young 

 gardeners to diligence in the acquisition of knowledge on all subjects connected 

 with their profession. Mr James Anderson, Uddingston, next read a paper 

 on "The Education of Gardeners," commencing as a boy at school, where he 

 acquired the elements of education, and from which he could not enter upon 

 his professional career too well furnished with general information. The young 

 gardener, if he would rise to eminence, must cultivate habits of observation, 

 and seek to attain a thorough acquaintance with all the details of practical 

 work in the garden. The bothy also, in which the great majority of gardeners 

 spent the time of their probation, afforded rare opportunities for self-improve- 

 ment ; there, young men interested in the same subject could stimulate and 

 help each other, and join together in procuring books and periodicals on 

 botany and horticulture. Mr Anderson's paper was listened to with great 

 attention, and after an interesting conversation upon the subject, in which 

 several of the members took part, he was accorded a hearty vote of thanks. 



From a considerable array of interesting plants and flowers on the table for 

 exhibition, we noted a fine plant of Pilea muscosa nana, a dwarf creeping- 

 stemmed form of the old-fashioned ' ' Artillery plant." It will doubtless prove 

 useful for surfacing the pots of plants for table decoration, as it has a dense 

 cushion-like habit of growth and is quite as easily grown as the parent. This 

 was sent by Mr Forman, florist, Dalkeith. Mr M'Clure, Trinity Grove, had a 

 seedling stage Auricula, very distinct and pretty, biit somewhat deficient in 

 that smoothness and decision of marking regarded by florists as indispensable 

 to first-class flowers of its tribe. Mr Macmillan, Broadmeadows, sent blooms 

 of a grand strain of seedling Cinerarias, all remarkable for their brilliant col- 

 ours. A well-grown specimen of the white variety of Primula denticulata, 

 from Messrs Dickson & Co., was much admired. This is a plant well worthy 

 of cultivation, forming a fine companion to the well-known and popular species. 

 Messrs Methven & Sons had a number of trusses of seedling .Rhododendrons, 

 four of which were from the Indian species Thomsonii and one from Falconerii, 

 another Indian species. Mr Hugh Fraser explained that the former had been 

 obtained from seed saved from hardy varieties, fertilised with pollen from 

 Thomsonii. They were very early, flowered freely, of clear bright colours, 

 and though the trusses were not so compact as some of the other hardy varieties 

 already in cultivation, they were easily forced, and would doubtless be great 

 acquisitions for the winter decoration of the conservatory. The other seed- 



