Ayrshire, 575 



dees Castle, for seedling peaches and nectarines; and to William Patison,Esq., 

 Williamfield, for fine carnations and picotees, and for seedling hollyhocks. 



There were two competitions in dahlias, first between private gardeners or 

 amateurs among themselves ; and next between dealers or nurserymen 

 among themselves. In the gardeners' competition for the rarest, newest, and 

 finest collection, of thirty sorts, the first prize, or gold medal, was awarded to 

 Mr. Peter Thompson, gardener to James Hope Vere, Esq., Craigiehall, In the 

 nurserymen's competition, it was unanimously found that the finest collection 

 of thirty select sorts was sent by Mr. Handasyde, Fisherrow. In the com- 

 petition for seedling dahlias, no fewer than fourteen competitors appeared, 

 evincing the great zeal of cultivators in raising this fine flower. Three 

 prizes were awarded, 1. To Mr. Henderson, gardener, at Delvine ; 2. To Mi*. 

 Handasyde, Fisherrow; and, 3. To Mr. Smith, gardener at CaJiendar House. 



Thursday the various fruits, flowers, and plants sent for competition and 

 exhibition were displayed on tables in the large room, and brought together 

 a highly fashionable attendance. Among the decorations which gave effect to 

 this grand horticultural display, were large and beautiful palm and banana 

 leaves, which were here and there judiciously disposed. The splendid plants 

 were chiefly from the secretary's garden at Canon Mills, the Society's garden, 

 and the Royal Botanic Garden. Among the decorations was a splendid 

 bouquet, and a crown formed with dahlias. This latter was composed of 

 dahlias reared in the Nor' Loch, or what is now called East Prince's Street 

 Gardens, possessed by the Messrs. Cleghorn. 



In the evening, a party of nearly 200 ladies and gentlemen assembled. The 

 Lord Advocate presided ; Dr. Neill and John Leven, Esq., vice-presidents. 

 This was the first occasion on which it was agreed that ladies should be in- 

 vited to the festival. The Lord Advocate addressed the meeting ; and after 

 mentioning the different articles he thought most worthy of notice, he referred 

 to the exquisite taste with which the room had been decorated with the choicest 

 productions of horticulture, for which he said the company were indebted to 

 the taste and skill of Mr. Leven and Mr. M'Nab, jun. (of the Experimental 

 Gardens), and concluded by proposing " Prosperity to the Horticultural 

 Society." (^Edinburgh Evening Courant, Sept. 23. 1837.) 



Bathgate Horticultural Society. — Sej^t, 6. Among the more remarkable 

 articles, were, a splendid collection of dahlias, presented to the meeting by 

 Messrs. Handasyde, florists, Fisherrow, consisting of 120 of the newest kinds ; 

 some fine specimens of kohl-rabi, and Gotte lettuce, produced from Wall- 

 house Garden ; a vigorous plant of that gigantic vegetable, the cow cabbage 

 (15 ft. in circumference), from the garden of Mr. Pearson, Bathgate Brewery ; 

 and some excellent a|)ples from Livingstone, by Mr. Gallowa}'. We __also 

 noticed several rather new herbaceous plants, belonging to Mr. A. Forrester, 

 secretary. (^Scotsman, Sept. 13.) 



Ayrshire. — Kilmarnock Horticultural Society. — July 28. For the thirteen 

 best pinks, 1. Mr. Hugh Loudon, florist, Symington (Suwarrow, Rob the 

 Ranter, Miss Lindsay, &c.). For the seven best garden roses, 1. Mr. N. B. 

 Tiilery, gardener, FuUarton House. For the thirteen best pansies, 1. Mr. 

 Wm. Melville, gardener, Dunlop House. For the nine best hardy annuals 

 (Platystemon californicus, Nemophila insignis, Collinsia bicolor, &c.), 1. Mr. 

 Melville. For the five best dahlias (royal Adelaide, yellow perfection, queen, 

 &c.), 1. Mr. Melville. For the seven best calceolarias (Lady Harriet Dunlop, 

 Majorriana superba. Lady of the Lake, houdoma, &c.), 1 . Mr. Melville. For 

 the six best and largest red gooseberries, four competitors, 1. Mr. R. Highet. 

 The competing articles were, in general, very fine, particularly the pansies, 

 calceolarias, dahlias, and green-house plants. The grapes were very fine-grown 

 clusters ; and the vegetables in general were excellent. There were also ex- 

 hibited by Mr. Malcolm, gardener, Williamfield, a splendid specimen of the 

 purple egg plant, a very large cucumber, and white carrots. By Mr. John 

 Richmond, gardener. Mount, two very splendid coxcombs. By Mr. Tiilery, 

 Fullarton, two very large early York cabbages, and very large rhubarb and 



