1870.] HORTICULTURAL EXHIBITIONS. 233 



dairy produce, and, within certain restrictions, exhibitions of all industrial pro- 

 ductions, might be held. 



But to return to the recent flower-show. We remarked that while the spring 

 bulbs were less numerous aud not so fine as we have previously seen them, every 

 other department of it was above the average of other years. The Azaleas were 

 especially well represented, so were stove and greenhouse plants, Rododendrons, 

 and specially forced Roses ; they have made a sudden leap forward. Among 

 subjects which we noticed were a fine collection of Cyclamens, exhibited by 

 Downie, Laird, & Laing ; amongst them Rosium grandiflora and Purity were spe- 

 cially beautiful. We predict quite a run on these pretty spring flowers, which 

 have been far too long neglected. The same firm exhibited a collection of flowering 

 plants, as did Messrs Drummond of George Street, Gordon & Sons of Murrayfield, 

 Messrs Dickson & Sons, who in addition had a great many fine small Roses in 

 beautiful bloom most creditably managed. Mr Methven had in addition to a 

 collection of flowering plants a very fine collection of foliage and decorative 

 plants ; Messrs Dickson & Co. a fine collection of flowering and other plants. 



A feature that attracted much attention was Mr M'Intosh's Rhododendron 

 Argentii, a handsome plant about 8 feet high, with a great many fine trusses 

 of white bloom on it, and valued by its owner at £100. Mr Patterson, 

 gardener to Professor Syme, exhibited a fine variety of Catleya, one of the 

 numerous Triania varieties, but a very handsome one. The eighteen Hyacinths 

 that got the first prize in their class came from Luffhess, aud did much credit to 

 Mr Cow, Mr Hope's gardener ; the following are the varieties, Baron Von Tuyll, 

 Howard, Lord Macaulay, Von Schiller, Marie, Gigantea, Grand Lillias, Koh-i- 

 noor, Blondin, Mont Blanc, Mimosa, Prima Donna, and Charles Dickens. Mr D. 

 Kerr, gardener to A. B. Shand, Esq. of Glencarse, was first with 12's, exhibiting 

 nearly the same varieties as Mr Cow. Mr Lees of Tynninghame exhibited a 

 plant of Phalsenopsis Schilleriana, with 200 blooms open on it. On no previous 

 occasion have we seen so good a display of Pears and Apples at so late a period of 

 the spring— Mr Lees, Tynninghame ; Mr Knight, Floors Castle; Mr Baxter, Riccar- 

 ton, and others, showed fine collections. Pines were well represented from The 

 Glen by Mr M'Kay, and by Mr Greg, gardener to Mr Christie, Craigend. The 

 only Grapes which were in fine condition were black and white Lady Downes. 

 Vegetables were above the average both in quantity and quality : the forced ones 

 were especially fine. Cucumbers were well shown by Mr Greg, and by Mr Hannah, 

 gardener to Mr Duncan, Burnhead. 



Our space compels us to omit a formal list of the prizes, and we feel that in 

 noticing some productions we do injustice in leaving many equally meritorious 

 unnoticed; but we cannot help it, — there is a limit to the space at our disposal. 



REVIEWS. 



Alpine Flowers for English Gardens. By William Robinson, F.L.S., author 

 of ' The Parks, Promenades, and Gardens of Paris,' &c. London : John 

 Murray. 



In a handsome book of some 360 pages, abounding with many illustrations and 

 much pleasant reading, Mr Robinson gives us a valuable work on Alpine flowers. 

 Such a book was greatly needed, and it appears at an opportune time, just when 

 so many of the lovely flowers, of which the book treats, are surely rising into a 



