September 8, 1888.] 



THE GABDENERS' CHRONICLE. 



277 



Messrs. Sutton & Sons' showed plants of their new 

 netted strain of Gloxinias, and to whom a Certificate 

 of Merit was awarded. The same firm exhibited a 

 very fine collection of cut flowers of hardy perennials 

 and annuals. 



Scotland. 



DUNKELD FRUIT CONFERENCE. 



The invitation of Mr. Fairgrieve, announced in 

 your issue of August 25, to leading gardeners and 

 others interested in fruit culture to meet at Dunkeld 

 Gardens for the purpose of inspecting the hardy fruit 

 grown there, and conferring together on the subject, 

 was numerously responded to on Friday, the 31st ult. 

 Seventy-five gardeners, amateurs, and nurserymen 

 from various parts of the country, met about 10 a.m. 

 that morning under exceptionally fine weather, each 

 obviously intent on making the most of the oppor- 

 tunity provided him to increase his knowledge of 

 the subject that had brought them together. Among 

 the company were Mr. Dunn, of Palace Gardens, 

 Dalkeith, who was chairman of the Conference ; 

 Messrs. James Alexander and W. Welsh, of Messrs. 

 Dicksons & Co., Edinburgh ; D. P. Laird, of Messrs. 

 Laird & Sons, Edinburgh ; A. Milne, of Jas. Dickson 

 & Sons, Edinburgh ; R. B. Laird, of Messrs. Laird 

 & Sinclair, Dundee; D. Croll, Dundee; Gossipp, 

 Inverness ; McKenzie, Warriston Nursery, Edin- 

 burgh ; Davidson, Pilrig Nursery, Edinburgh ; R. 

 Lindsay, Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh ; W. E. 

 Dixon, Edinburgh ; W. Straton, Broughty Ferry ; 

 D. P. Scott, Monifieth ; McKelvie, Broxmouth ; 

 Boyd, Callendar House ; McHattie, Newbattle Abbey ; 

 Murray, Culzean ; McKinson, Scone Palace ; Hen- 

 derson, Balbirnie ; Temple, Carrow House, &c. 



The beautiful natural features of this splendid 

 Highland residence the visitors could only glance at 

 and admire, and considerations of space, as well as 

 the special object of the Conference, forbid 

 dwelling on such points as were noted in the 

 memory in the brief tour we made of the grounds 

 after our inspection of the fruit was concluded. The 

 general character of the place is most picturesque, 

 highly deserving of more than passing notice, and at 

 some future time I maybe permitted to return to the 

 subject more fully. 



The Glasshouses, which lie on the way to the fruit 

 and vegetable garden to the right from the entrance 

 gate, consist of six vineries, several Melon, Cucum- 

 ber, Fig and Peach-houses, and others devoted to 

 stove and greenhouse plants and Orchids. The Vines 

 are in fine health. The earlier crops were cut, but 

 in the late houses Black Alicante, Lady Downe's, 

 Muscat of Alexandria, &c, were a splendid crop and 

 finishing well, but are considered by Mr. Fairgrieve 

 to be later than usual, owing to the backward sum- 

 mer. Fine crops of Melons, Peaches, Nectarines and 

 Figs were found in other houses, and Tomatos and 

 Cucumbers were striking in their excellence and 

 abundance. Passing on, 



The Fruit and Vegetable Garden lies immediately 

 beyond the houses, in a north-westerly direction, and 

 the visitors were struck with their admirable situa- 

 tion. The garden is from 6 to 7 acres in extent, 

 situate on the lower slope of the south side of the 

 lofty Pine-clad hill of Craigiebarns, which is one of 

 several similar hills that surround the beautiful 

 grounds of Dunkeld on all sides. The surface angle 

 is rather steep, rendering the working of the soil 

 and other operations somewhat heavy. The soil is 

 deep loam of medium texture, resting on sandstone, 

 and the drainage is perfect. The walls are built in 

 a semicircular or crescent form, extending from east 

 to west, and the borders parallel to them are all 

 unusually steep, owing to the necessity for depres- 

 sing their outer edges to meet the level of the 

 walks, which lie much below the level of the base of 

 the walls. The variety of aspect, owing to the 

 curvature of the walls, is considerable ; but by far 

 the larger portion is south and south by west, there 

 being less of an easterly aspect than in most gardens 

 in which the walls are built in the ordinary rectan- 



gular form. The walls were inspected under the 

 guidance of Mr. Fairgrieve, who commented on the 

 merits of each sort of fruit tree from the point of 

 view of its adaptability to the climate and other 

 conditions of Dunkeld. As Peaches, Apricots, 

 Plums, &c, were somewhat intermixed on the walls, 

 it will be more convenient to describe them in 

 generic order than as they turned up in their sequence 

 on the route, and I will begin with — 



Peaches and Nectarines, as they were perhaps the 

 greatest surprise to the visitors. Not many districts 

 in Scotland can boast a climate in which Peach and 

 Nectarine trees may in ordinary seasons be de- 

 pended upon to produce good crops of fruit in the 

 open air. Dunkeld is one of the few districts that 

 may claim such a favourable climate in so adverse a 

 summer as we have experienced this year. The 

 crops this season are not so uniformly good as they 

 usually are, owing to the intense frost experienced 

 in March, when many of the trees were in bloom. 

 On the 17th of that month the thermometer 

 descended to 4 C above zero, consequently, the crops are 

 generally less abundant than usual, and some trees 

 were completely denuded of their flowers by the 

 killing temperature of that date ; yet there is a fair 

 sprinkling of fine fruit on most of the Peaches and 

 Nectarines. Royal George Peach is one of the best 

 varieties for the locality, and one of it was the finest 

 tree in the garden. This tree measured about 30 feet 

 on a wall about 11 feet high, was in perfect health, 

 and bore 170 fruit, of good size and splendid colour. 

 Early Alfred Mr. Fairgrieve considers one of the 

 hardiest and freest-bearing Peaches for the open air. 

 The quality and size are not quite np to the highest 

 standard, yet he considered it an indispensable sort 

 to those in unfavourable districts, and being one of 

 the earliest it augments the season of supply. Early 

 York has similar qualities to recommend it, being 

 early, prolific, and rarely missing crop. Hale's Early 

 is an especial favourite with Mr. Fairgrieve. On a 

 young tree of moderate size sixty very fine fruit 

 showed themselves, taking on a remarkably fine 

 colour. Rivers' Early York was bearing some fine 

 fruit, but Mr. Fairgrieve finds it liable to the serious 

 objection of cracking in the open air. Early Albert 

 was considered an excellent sort, and a free bearer. 

 Early Silver was bearing a light crop, and is a good 

 sort in good seasons, much admired for the peculiar 

 silvery colour of its flesh and fine quality, and for 

 being among the earliest. 



Of Nectarines, the best were Lord Napier and 

 Pine-apple ; a fine young tree of the latter had 

 eighty fine fruit upon it. The former, although it 

 bears freely, is generally too late to finish well in 

 the district. 



Apricots. — Of these, Large Early and Hemskirk 

 were found best adapted to the district. The 1st 

 named is undoubtedly the best, being always to 

 be relied upon, and of fine quality and good size. 

 One fruit, pulled at random from a tree bearing a 

 heavy crop, was weighed on the ground and turned 

 the scale at 3£ oz. Breda, though small, is accounted 

 a reliable sort for the district. 



Plums. — Crops of these were abundant. On the 

 walls were splendid trees of Pond's Seedling, Kirk's 

 Prince of Wales, Cox's Golden Drop, Jefferson , 

 Green Gage, Cox's Emperor, Lawson's Golden Gage, 

 Ickworth Imperatrice, Goliath, Victoria, Rivers' 

 Early Prolific and St. Catherine ; and these varieties 

 are most relied upon in the district. Cox's Emperor 

 and Cox's Golden Drop are found by Mr. Fairgrieve 

 invaluable late sorts, being the latest to ripen, and 

 keeping three weeks good without loss of flavour 

 after they are ripe. Kirk's was considered by Mr. 

 Fairgrieve the very best Plum in the list, taking 

 quality and crop combined into account. Jefferson's 

 he regarded as the best light-coloured sort, every- 

 thing considered, for his district. Green Gages were 

 fine quality and fair crops even this adverse season, 

 but left nothing to be desired in good seasons. 

 Transparent Gage, on the other hand, was valueless, 

 and was to be done away with. The Imperial Gage bore 

 the same character, and would share the same fate. 

 As standard trees, Victoria and Caledonian Plums 



were unsurpassably valuable, being sure and prolific 

 bearers, and good in their way. 



Cherries. — Of these there were excellent crops on 

 trees of late kinds. Late Duke was superb, alike in 

 crop and quality. Morellos were very abundant, 

 Belle Agathe, valuable chiefly as being one of the 

 latest sorts, hanging till the end of September, was 

 represented by young trees seemingly about three 

 years planted, but had their flowers destroyed in 

 spring. As early and second early sorts, May Duke, 

 Frogmore, Black Eagle, Bigarreau Napoleon, and 

 Bowyer's Early Heart, were found admirable sorts 

 for the district. 



Pears. — Of these few are grown, and only one 

 variety — Jargonelle — showing crop worthy of the 

 term either in respect of quantity or quality. It 

 was excellent in every respect. 



Apples were more plentiful but not anything ap- 

 proaching the bulk of an ordinary crop on even such 

 varieties as were fruiting at all. These were chiefly 

 Lord Suffield and Keswick Codlin, which were bear- 

 ing half crops or less, while Hawthornden, Irish 

 Peach, Cellini, and others showed only a fruit here 

 and there, and those by no means healthy and pro- 

 mising. 



This brought the inspection of the hardy fruit to a 

 close, and in so far as the Peaches, Nectarines, 

 Apricots, and Plums, were concerned, the visitors 

 may be 6aid to have been most agreeably impressed 

 with the success of Mr. Fairgrieve in cultivating so 

 successfully these choicer fruits, in such an unlikely 

 district as this Highland glen — which, however, 

 appears to be a veritable Paradise. The parly then 

 rapidly visited the famous Larches, the earliest 

 planted in Scotland (planted 1738) ; the fine old 

 Abbey which stands near the mansion, and a well 

 filled conservatory attached to the latter, and then 

 adjourned to the Public Hall, Dunkeld, to lunch. 



The Conference. — After luncheon, over which Mr. 

 Dunn presided, with Messrs. Lindsay and McKelvie 

 as croupiers, the company spent some two and a 

 half hours' in conference, The Chairman, in a brief 

 opening address, alluded to the growing importance 

 of hardy fruit culture in this country. He believed 

 it likely that farmers and others would in future 

 give more attention to the subject than they had in 

 the past, and while they might not all make fortunes 

 in fruit culture, he was of opinion that it would be 

 generally advantageous. It was important to confer 

 with each other on the varieties of hardy fruit best 

 adapted to different districts. They had seen to-day 

 what could be done in the district they were now in 

 — " a favoured but by no means rarely favoured 

 spot." Accuracy in nomenclature was obviously an 

 important point to study, and while the best methods 

 of culture of the several kinds of hardy fruits ought 

 to engage the attention of every one interested in 

 the subject, the proper gathering, assorting, packing, 

 unpacking, and even the proper way of eating the 

 fruit should receive more attention. The Chair- 

 man then read some interesting details of the ther- 

 mometrical experiences at Dunkeld of the recent 

 spring and summer. March showed a variation of 

 from 1° to 28° of frost ; April gave twelve nights of 

 frost varying from 3° to 14°. From May 1 to 5 the 

 thermometer was slightly under freezing-point ; 

 during May, June, July, and August only two or 

 three nights did the minimum rise to 45° ; on May 

 11 and 12 it descended to 24° and 26° respectively. 

 It reached 50° only in July, on the 11th, but again 

 on the 31st of that month it descended to 29°. That 

 morning (August 31) the thermometer indicated 32°, 

 and the two previous mornings 33° and 38° re- 

 spectively. These temperatures were not favourable 

 to fruit growing, yet they had seen that, with good 

 treatment and young healthy trees, fair crops of 

 excellent fruit could be produced. 



The Chairman then invited a discussion on the 

 culture of the Apricot, Peach, Plum, and Cherry, 

 which was entered into by Messrs. McHattie, 

 Temple, McKelvie, Murray, Boyd, Milne, and Bisset, 

 the result of which was to draw some general re- 

 marks from Mr. Fairgrieve respecting certain points 

 of his practice. In regard to pruning he said he 



