1871.] HORTICULTURAL EXHIBITIONS. 481 



Royal Caledonian Horticultueal Society. — The autumn exhibition of this 

 Society was held in the Music Hall, George Street, Edinburgh, on the 13th of last 

 month. As an exhibition of fruit and flowers it was cue of the best ordinary- 

 autumn shows the Society has called forth. 



The attendance of visitors was above the average, judging by the sum of money 

 taken at the door, which was £20 more than on the same occasion last year; and we 

 never saw so large a gathering of gai-deners at an ordinary exhibition in Edinburgh 

 before, all taking a deep interest in the productions on the tables, and proving 

 that such exhibitions are of great value from an educational point of view, and 

 deserving the support of all interested in horticultural pursuits. 



The fir^t prize for the collection of eight plants iu pots was awarded to Mr Pat- 

 terson,' Gardens, Millbank, who had well-grown specimens of Erica Marmockiana, 

 E. Atonia, E. Aitoniana, Miltonia bicolor, Eucaris amazonica with 24 spikes of 

 bloom, Statice profusa, Clerodendron Balfouriana, and Odontoglossum grandi- 

 florum. Mr Lees of Tyninghame was a good second with Catleya Dowiana, 

 a lovely plant ; Erica TurnbuUii, a very fine autumn-flowering Heath, raised by 

 his uncle, Mr Turnbull of Bothwell Castle, who has done more for this class of 

 plants than any other man ever did ; and had he been at the exhibition on the 

 occasion, he must have felt proud to see the display his seedling Heaths made ; — E. 

 Linnseoides, E. Austriciaua, E. Marnockiaua, and Vallotta purpurea with 33 fine 

 spikes of bloom. 



The exhibition of fruit was a fair average of other years, W' ith the exception of 

 Black Hamburg Grapes, which in point of finish were not up to the usual 

 standard. 



In Mr Johnston of Glamis's collection were very fine Muscats and Black Prince 

 Grapes, fine Melons, Figs, Peaches, Nectarines, Cherries, Strawberries, and Plums. 

 Mr Temple, Balbiruie, produced on the occasion some excellent fruit, as did 

 many others, as will be seen by the list of prizes. Mr Turner of Slough exhibited 

 a stand of splendid new Dahlias ; amongst them we noted as of superior excellence 

 John Standish, a perfect flower, James "Wilder, Laura Haslem, and Hope. These 

 got first-class certificates awarded to them. 



Among Seedling Hollyhocks, Messrs Downie, Laird, & Laing showed some 

 fine flowers; two of great excellence were selected for first honours, and named 

 John Stewart and Mrs Laing. 



Messrs P. Lawson & Son filled the orchestra with Conifers and other graceful 

 plants, and, like all the other Edinburgh nurserymen, contributed to the general 

 display by filling tables with showy plants. The most striking novelty in the 

 ball was the Amaranthus salicifolius, exhibited for the first time in Scotland by 

 Messrs Veitch of Chelsea. This new and most strikingly graceful plant was sent 

 from Manilla by the late John G. Veitch. It is a hardy summer annual, growing 

 about 3 feet high, and as many in diameter, producing long AVillow-like leaves, as 

 its name indicates ; the colour of various shades of pink and bronze. We believe 

 that seed of it will be ofi'ered to the public next spring, and it will form a striking 

 feature wherever it is grown, whether on the greenhouse stage, the conservatory, 

 or the flower-border. 



The following is a list of the awards : — 



class I. — FRUIT. 



Two smooth Cayenne Pine-Apples — 

 R, Foulis, gardener to Mr G. W. Hen- 

 derson of Fordel. 



One heaviest bunch of Grapes — L 

 J. Dickson, gardener to Mr J. Jardine, 



Arkleton ; 2. Charles Irving, gardener 

 to G. Wilson, Heronhill. 



Two bunches Black Hamburg Grapes 

 — .1. Charles Irving ; 2. Thomas Boyd, 

 gardener to W. Sanderson, Oaklea, 

 Galashiels, 



Two bunches Muscat of Alexandria 



