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JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ September 12, 1865. 



ROYAL HORTICULTUBAL SOCIETY. 



Septemdkh Stu. 



Flobm. Committee. — The principal fenture of tliis meeting was the 

 numerous seedling Dahlias, some of which were very good, hut not one 

 could be said to be new either iu colour or form. The time has 

 an-ived when little more can be expected from this ilower. The criti- 

 cisms on the perfection of a Dahlia are quite mysterious, and it requires 

 a most practised eye to form a correct judgment of its merits; and 

 sometimes the fastidious nicety of distinction amounts to an absurdity. 

 This ilower still has its devoted admirers, and appears to have many 

 patrons. 



Messrs. Downie, Laird, & Laing exhibited a fine collection of So- 

 lauums and other fine-foliaged plants. The Solauums formed tlie chief 

 portion, and were much adiuired for the various forms of tlieir prickly 

 foliage and stems. A special certilicate was awarded to the collection. 

 Mr. J. Coombs, Hackney, sent two seedling variegated Pelargoniums 

 with tricolor folinge — Prism and Eclair. The plants were too young 

 to justify any decision ou their merits, and must be seen again. Mr. 

 Bull exhibited a very iine double white-coroUaed Fuchsia with bright 

 pink sepals. Tliis is by far the best double white variety we have 

 seen. It is very free-tloweiing, with large flowers. A first-class cei-ti- 

 ficate was awarded it. Messrs. Lee sent a fine specimen of a Stan- 

 hopea grandiflora, a very handsome Orchid. Mr. Shaw, Manches- 

 ter, sent three seedlingGladioli with faded spikes; they appeared 

 to he of the striped or mottled section. M. WaiUy sent a collection 

 of Trop.tolum flowers, many of them pretty, but nothing distinct or 

 new. Mr. J. H. Lock, Henie, Kent, exhibited cut flowers of three 

 seedling Hollyhocks — Annie Maude, a pure white ; Thomas RammeU, 

 dark red — the flowers were not near the standard of the present day, 

 being deficient in foi-m and outline. A single flower unnamed attractctd 

 attention as a novel colour in Hollyhocks — a vei-y delicate fawn colour. 

 It was remarked that there is no "Hollyhock of this peculiar tint of 

 colour. Had it but the necessary qualifications of foim and substance, 

 which, like the others, it so manifestly lacked, it would be a valuable 

 flower. Mr. Leach, Clapham Park, sent two single flowers of Liliums 

 from Japan. Mr. Wills, Oulton JPark, sent another of his hybrid 

 Verbenas : also Pelargoniums Beauty of Oulton and Gaiety, which 

 have been previously noticed in this Journal ; and a variegated form 

 of Hydrangea, marginata, which it was requested should be seen again. 

 Mr. Macintosh, Hammersmith, sent a dwarf seedling Antirrhinum of 

 no use. Mr. Veitch sent C'attleya exoniensis, one of Mr. Dominy's 

 good hybrids. A special certificate was awarded to it as a fine speci- 

 men, it having received a first-class one at a previous meeting. Mr. 

 Perry again sent several seedling Verbenas — Champion, a dark maroon, 

 bright eye, large tniss and pips, which was awarded a first-class certi- 

 ficate ; the others had been exhibited before. Mr. Eckford, High- 

 worth, also exhibited seedling Verbenas John Keynes, a bright orange 

 scarlet with conspicuous lemon eye — first-class certificate ; Mr. Glad- 

 stone, a bright ruby with distinct eye — second-class ; Gladiator, Mr. 

 "W. Ellice, Isaac Eckford, and Celestial. 



Among the seedling Dahlias Mr. Burgess, of Chelsea, exhibited Mrs. 

 Lund, Mrs. Burgess, and Kate. Mr. Pope, Chelsea, exhibited Fancy 

 Dahlia Fanny Sturt, dull red heavily tipped with white, fine form, 

 medium flower — first-class certificate ; and Mr. J. Pope. Messrs. 

 Wood * Ingi-am sent Dahlia Lord Sandwich. Mr. Bragg, Slough, 

 sent Dahlias Goldbeater ; Commander, a fawn colour, which was 

 awarded a second-class certificate ; Fair Lady, Commodore, Hon. 

 Mi-s. Gerald Wellesley, Belle, and Rival Model. Mr. Turner sent 

 Dahlias .Arthur, Amber Witch, Artemus Ward, L'Africaine, Princess 

 Dagmar, Princess Alice, Fair Iniogeue, Royal Robe, Master of Arts, 

 orange tipped with puqjle — second-class certificate ; and Blushing 

 Fifteen, a rosy lilac — second-class certificate. Mr. Rawlings, Rom- 

 ford, sent Dahlias Majestic, Fii-cfly. Queen of Autumn, and Aristides. 

 Mr. C. J. Perry sent Dahlias John Powell. Miss Powell, Ne Plus 

 Ultra, .lud Startler. Mr. Church, Biufield, Berks, sent Dahlias 

 Gladiator and Mr. Savory. Mr. Logge, Edmonton, sent DahUas 

 Golden Empire. Lilac Perfection, Mr. Gibson, Mr. Braham, Prince 

 of the World, and Eclipse. Mr. J. Keynes sent Dahlias Ultimatum, 

 delicate blush, tipped, a very pretty flower — first-class certificate ; Pre- 

 sident Lincoln, George White, Lady of the Lake, Ellen Potter, Jcannie 

 Deans, Sir GrevUle Smythe, and Annie Austin. Mr. Allen, Shackle- 

 well, sent Dahlias Mr. Tyson, and Crown Jewel, and Mr. Ecldord, 

 Dahlia Lady Mary Wilde, a delicate light white and Ulac flower — 

 second-class certificate. 



Fruit CorjinTTEE. — G. F. Wilson, Esq., F.R.S., in the chair. On 

 this occasion a dish of Walburtou .\dmirable Peaches was exhibited by 

 Heni-y Whiting, Esq., of Battersea Rise ; these specimens were rely 

 good, and well flavoured. Some fine large fruit of the Stanwick Nec- 

 tariue came from the Chairman, and were quite free from cracking, to 

 which that variety is so liable ; they were, however, gi'own under glass. 

 Royal George Peaches gi-own on a standard w*ere exhibited by Messrs. 

 J. & C. Lee, of Hammersmith, hut they were small, and rather 

 astringent. The same may be said of Peaches, and Elruge Nectarines, 

 also gi-o\vn on standards, t'rom Mr. Macintosh, nursei-jTuau, Hammer- 

 smith. A seedling Peach was exhibited by Jonathan Clarke, Esq., The 

 Mall, Chiswick, gathered from a standard ten or twelve years old, and 

 which bears well every year. The fruit was veiy large, roundish, 

 tinged with red next the sun : flesh pale, slightly rayed with red at 

 the stone, from which it parts ; it was a little astringent, but from its 



very large size and ripening on a standard it was recommended to be 

 tried against a wall. The tree has leaves with reniform glands. 

 Another seedling, also grown on a standard, was exhibited by the 

 same gentleman. It was below the medium size, well coloured, but 

 not equal iu flavour to sorts in cultivation. A Black Jamaica Pine 

 Apple was sent by Mr. Yates, Manchester, on account of its being 

 aifected with decay in spots, but where sound the flavour was 

 excellent. The fruit was submitted to the Rev. Mr. Berkeley, who 

 decided that the diseased spots were caused by the common vinegar 

 mould. Green-fleshed Melons came from Mr. Wills, gardener to Sir 

 Philip Egerton, Bart., Oulton Park ; and from Mr. Hudson, gardener 

 to Miss Strut, Chasecliffe, Derby, but neither of these Melons pos- 

 sessed merit. The Gorden Castle Egg Plum was exhibited by Messrs. 

 Lee ; very good specimens, but scarcely equal in flavoiir to the 

 .Jefferson. The Transparent Gage Plum, however, exhibited by the 

 Chairman was very excellent. It is rather larger than the Green 

 Gage, somewhat later, exceedingly rich, and a most valuable delicious 

 fruit ; this variety caunot be too highly recommended. A collection 

 of Figs came from the garden of the Society, and six sorts of Grapes. 

 Auioug the latter were specimens of the Chasselas Musquc de Nantes, 

 with which the Crauford Muscat was compared, and the two were 

 found very similar in appearance and equally rich. 



THE EDINBURGH INTl<:RNATIONAIi FRUIT 

 AND FLOWER SHOW.— September Oth. 



Scotland may well be proud of the great Show held at Edinburgh 

 on Wednesday last ; for not only was it great in its extent and in 

 the variety of "the products of horticultural skill which were gathered 

 together, 'but great, too, iu the extraordinary excellence by which these 

 productions were characterised. As an eminent English horticulturist 

 most justly remarked, the Show was distingui.shed not merely by the 

 presence of the good, but also by the absence of the bad. Such a 

 success must have beeu, and was, most gratifying to all concerned in 

 the Exhibition, to the promoters, to the exhibitors from both sides of 

 the border, and to those who came far and wide to witness the display. 

 Iu all competitions there must be losers as weU as winners, but in this 

 both parties covered themselves with credit ; for the winners obtained 

 no cheaply-purchased victory, and the losers departed with the honours 

 of war and a firm determinatiou to renew the fight. 



Before proceeding to details a few words as to the origin of this 

 Show, which was held under the auspices of the Edinburgh Horticul- 

 tural Society, may not be out of place. The propriety of holding an 

 international horticultural exhibition at Edinburgh was first mooted, 

 about twelve months ago, by Mr. William Thomsoa, of Dalkeith, and 

 Mr. Young, the Secretaiy ;" and the idea having been warmly taken 

 up, the principal horticulturists at home and abroad were communicated 

 with. The result was, that promises of support came freely from all 

 quarters, as well as subscriptions to the amount of £500, setting the 

 Committee at ease on the score of funds. A schedule of a most com- 

 preheusive character was framed, containing upwards of a hundred 

 classes, iu which liberal prizes were offered to competitors, both British 

 and foreign ; and how well this invitation was responded to by gardeners 

 from all parts of the kingdom it is now our pleasing duty to relate. 



The Show was held iu the spacious Music Hall and Assembly Rooms 

 in George Street, and the Committee having been at work all the pre- 

 ceding night in arranging the multifarious subjects which were brought 

 for exhibition, the tables were ready by six o'clock iu the morning for 

 the Judges to proceed to make their awards, and by thus starting early 

 the adjudications were completed and the prizes aflixed before the 

 public were admitted. From 9 till 11 -\.M. gardeners were allowed the 

 privilege of inspecting the Exhibition for a small admission fee, and 

 afterwards the visitors, who thronged in, were so numerous as to render 

 movement a matter of no little difficulty ; and it was evident that if 

 the Society's future shows be as extensive, as attractive, and as nume- 

 rously att"ended as this one was, a gi-eatly increased space must he 

 secured to permit of the subjects exhibited beiug seen with comfort. 

 This was the only drawback to the Show, for in every respect it was 

 admirably conducted, Sccretarii s. Treasurer, and Committee-men 

 beiug indefatigable iu tin ir Isb.iurs. and nothing could exceed the at- 

 tention, the courtesv, and the kindness which they brought to the per- 

 formance of theii- arduous tasks. And now to the detaUs of the 

 Exhibition. . Fruit was the great feature, and with that, therefore, we 

 shall begin. 



FRUIT. 



The display of this was magnificent, fully occupj-ing the whole of 

 the vast Assembly Room ; and although the Unes of tabling were 

 placed as closely together as it was possible to do without entirely 

 obstructing the circulation of the visitors, there was not an mch of 

 space to spare, indeed some of the fruit had to be set up ui an ad- 

 joiuin.' room. So much of the quantity, now of the quality. Never 

 iias it° fallen to our lot to see hothouse fruit, aud especially Grapes, 

 in greater perfection than the bulk of that exhibited on this occasion. 

 The collections of twenty sorts of fruit were unusually good, especially 

 those from Mr. W. Thomson, gardener to the Duke of Buccleuch, 

 Dalkeith, and Mr. D. Thomson, of Archerfield, and which were pretty 

 evenly balanced iu point of merit. Mr. W. Thomson had two excellent 

 Smooth-leaved Caveuue Pines, and a handsome Queeu, of the ex- 

 traordinaiy weight'of iH lbs. ; splendid bunches of Black Hamburgh, 



