578 Provincial Horticultural Societies : — 



Uppei- Annandale Horticultural Society/. — July 26. The premiums, without 

 exception, are limited to cottagers' and kitchen-gardens, where no regular gar- 

 dener is kept, and a wonderful degree of emulation has been excited throughout 

 the community to excel in the rearing of the more delicate kinds of flowers, as 

 well as the cultivation of more substantial fare for the table. The show took 

 place in the ball-room, which was tastefully festooned with evergreens and 

 flowers of every hue, while the principal entrance was ornamented with a beau- 

 tifully finished cornucopia, the handiwork of Mr. Kelloch. On a table, extend- 

 ing from one end of the hall to the other, stood the various articles as arranged 

 for competition. At the upper end of the table was placed a colossal bouquet 

 of flowers of the rarest kinds and richest varieties, arranged with the most 

 delicate skill, and elegantly surmounted with an imperial crown, which pre- 

 sented to the fancy a fine representation of our sovereign Victoria. At the 

 other end stood a very ingenious model of a mill-wheel, constructed also of 

 flowers ; while the intervening space was filled up with various other bouquets, 

 amongst which we observed a beautiful collection of wild flowers. They were 

 arranged in a basket, round the thistle, the rose, and the shamrock. Mr. 

 Charters, Star Inn, exhibited a quantity of most excellent late field potatoes. 

 (^Dumfries Courier, July 26.) 



Sept. 15. The fruit and vegetables exhibited by the competing members 

 were all of gigantic growth ; and the keenness of the competition showed 

 distinctly that a taste for gardening has been aroused in this part of Annan- 

 dale, which cannot fail to produce a good effect. Best design of a bouquet, 

 first prize, Mr. John Austin, Milton Mill; finest variety of annuals, Mr.John 

 Russell, Moffat ; best bee-skep, Mr. Marchbank, Buckrigg ; best model of a 

 barn-rick, first prize, Mr. Thomas Little, Cleughfoot ; best riddle, Mr. Thomas 

 Beck, Moffat ; neatest-kept garden, first prize, Mr. James Hastie, Marchbank 

 Wood. Miss Fife received a prize for a number of very tastefully executed 

 artificial flowers. Mr. Kelloch's design of the third kirk in Dumfries was 

 most tastefully executed ; as also a model of a windmill, by the miller of Milton 

 Mill. A silver medal, the gift of Mr. Alex. Johnstone, Jun., Manse of Moffat, 

 was afterwards competed for by the professional gardeners in the district, and 

 won by Mr. Kelloch, gardener to Wm. Younger, Esq., of Craigielands. {Dum- 

 fries Herald, Sept. 22. 1837.) 



St. Andrew'' s Horticidtural and Floricidtural Society. — June 14. The most 

 conspicuous feature in this competition was the tulip, of which a great num- 

 ber were presented, some of them very fine flowers ; but none of them, in our 

 opinion, came up to that perfection in the distribution of the colours that is 

 required by the florist. The calceolarias, geraniums, heaths, green-house plants, 

 and hardy plants in plots, were most beautiful, and, with several bouquets and 

 other plants, covered the five large tables of the hall, which were well arranged, 

 and had a most pleasing effect. We must particularly notice a sweepstake 

 taken by the Cupar Horticultural Society with one single individual of our 

 society (Major H. L. Playftiir, of St. Leonards), for the best thirty geraniums. 

 We have no means of knowing what sort of geraniums are possessed by the 

 Cupar Society, as they were not shown ; but at our meeting appeared those 

 of Major Playfair, and we can safely state that we have never seen finer 

 flowers. {Fifeshire Journal, June 22.) 



July 19. The most inviting article in this competition was the show of 

 grapes ; and we are happy to state that every cluster in each variety reflected 

 great credit on the growers. The strawberries were very fine and large, more 

 particularly Keen's seedhng, which is decidedly the best for general cultivation. 

 The Aberdeen seedlings were also very fine ; and, although a smaller strawberry 

 than Keen's, far surpassed it in flavour. Amongst the flowers, we think the 

 antirrhinums took the most prominent place in the prize list ; there were, be- 

 sides the carnation-striped, several other new varieties. Mrs. Gillespie Smyth 

 of Gibliston, in particular, showed to the meeting a handsome bouquet of fine- 

 blown double yellow roses, a rose which is by no means common in this 

 quarter. Of vegetables, we may mention the cauliflower, as being the closest 



