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January 27, 1912. 



THE 



GARDENERS' MAGAZINE. 



77 



SWEET PEA ENTHUSIASM 



IN SCOTLAND. 



The passing of another year shows an 

 unabated enthusiasm in Scotlaiul in the 



his mode of culture down on the borders of 

 Sc'ot^and, made famous by Mrs. Fraser, 

 vSproughton Ma use, Kelso, winning the 

 £L000 - Daily Mail " prize last year. 



The Lockerbie and District Sweet Pea 



culture of the loveliest of all decorative ^"^i^^ty «-as fornjed la-st year This show is 



Notwithstanding^ '^"^"^t, ^« ^^^^ ^'^!}^^^ ''j'lf' ^onsiderably 



limits the competition ; fully 20 memhers 



competed, and 235 vases were staged, and 



were, on the whole, the finest lot of flowers 



for quality seen on the Borders. Xotwith- 



5 S.P.S.'^'had rbrillianrWess ^ standing the drought the peas did ex- 



flowers, the sweet pea. 

 the adverse season, a great many have 

 joined the ranks of the sweet pea enthu- 

 siasts, and the number of sweet pea socie- 

 ties are on the incrc^ase. The Perthshire 



4 and 5 last^ and^ with regard to it, one 

 of our Judges has stated that at our show 

 he "saw the largest show^ outside the Na- 

 tional, and the flowers of the year.'' The 

 entries numbered 229 an increase of about 

 30 over 1910, and tlie number of vases 



staged were considerably over 1,000. 

 feature of tJie show 



glorious flowers shown 



by 



Forres. 



undoubtedly the 

 Mr. John S. 



tremely well in that district, the growers 

 adopting the deep mo<:le of cultivation, 

 and no disease of any kind appeared. The 

 society i s look i ng forward to d rawing a 

 grand year under tlie care and guidance of 

 Mr. G. L. Mofi^att, the energetic secretary. 



The li'^^s a band of enthusiasts in the 



village of Catrine, who have formed a so- 



Mrs. Hugh Dick- 



Grigor, Seapark, Forres, in the open 

 classes, .and Mr. G. Milne, Duninald, Mon- 

 trose, in the small growers' section. Mr. 

 Grigor, who won the cup and a. whole string 

 of firsts^ showed perfect models of flowers 

 and, just what all growers should aim at, 



and placed evenly 



large and substantial 



and closelv 



vase 



on 



remarkable 



strong 



for 



stems, and 

 refinement. 



everv 

 He 



st::ged in his cup collection the following 

 varieties : Mrs. Hugh Dickson, Sunproof 

 Crimson (Dobbie's), Nubian, Elsie Herbert, 

 Masterpiece, Mrs. W. J. Unwin, Etta Dyke, 

 (Vuuitess Spencer, Isobel Malcolm, Edrom 

 Beauty, John Ingman, and Earl Spencer. 

 Mr. G. Milne's best collection was in the 

 <*lass for six vases, where he staged vSun- 



])roof Crimson 



also 



(Dobbie's), Etta Dyke, 

 Evelyn Heinus, Mrs. H. Dickson, Tennant 

 Spencer, and Edrom Beauty. ' He 

 showe<l a glorious vase of Hercules, a giant 

 rose of Messrs. Stark's, and it is a question 

 whctlifM- the raisers ever isaw it shown 

 Hi as fine condition. 



'Iliei-e was a great gathering of entliu- 

 M;i>ts iiom east, west, north, and south at 

 tlu^ Conference, at which Mr. W. P. Wri 

 gave a short address on Staging 

 Judging/' in which he deprecated' over- 

 iredinir 



ght 



and 



which was resnlting in a coarse- 

 'Hws of flower and a gappine&s in the plac- 

 ing of the bloom on the stem. 

 ( nthbertson, F.R.H.S., gave a paper on 

 Aow Sweet Peas," in which he indicated 



Mr. W. 



ciety, with Mr. M. Duncan a.s secretary, 

 and are to hold their third annual show 

 on July 27 next. The first year the sche- 

 dule consisted of three classes, with a mem- 

 bership of 18: last year the membership 

 increased to 30, and this season they 

 pect a corresponding increase over last 

 year. The schedule for 1912 consists of 

 eight classes, and a special for the best 

 vase in the show. Sweet peas in that dis- 

 trict, with few exceptions, did wel! right 

 up to September. 



There are an enthusiastic lot of growers 

 in the West of Scotland, and there are pro- 

 bably few counties in Scotland where the 

 sweet pea is more extensively grown than 

 in Dumbartonshire, Although the various 



county shows give liberal (MicouragtMiuMit 

 for sweet peas; they are lu^ld to:) hite in 



the season to do justite to the sweet |)e;i 

 exhibits. A public meeting was held at 

 Dunbarton on October 27 last, and it was 

 agreed tliat the time was ripe to foi in a 

 sweet ])ea society for the shire, and it wa^s 

 I'f^solved to pro{'e;Hl with its formation. A 

 strong committee was aj)pointed, and it 

 augured well for their success when Lord 

 Inverclyde consented to become hon. pre- 

 sident, W. Hen<lersnn, Esq., J. P., ])resi- 

 dent, Captain Alex. Cameron vice-])re.si- 

 dent, all keenly interested in the flower. 



The show will be held on July 27 next, and ^^^i' gardens. H. lianduisarum is, perh ips, 

 a most attractive schedule has been <h*aAvn ^^^^ *»^'^t known of tliese kinds, foi 



while some districts had a few good 

 showers, others had none for weeks, and 

 the results in the various districts were 

 rather striking. In Stirlingshire, at 

 K.ppen, Mr. C. Shaw had about a four- 

 yards row of Stirling Stent, a perfect 

 blaze of colour, nearly ten feet high, at 

 the beginning of August. The flowers were 

 very fine, with no shade. Elsewhere in 

 the district this variety did not do at all,, 

 and was most disappointing. Charles Fos- 

 ter did well, but nee<ls shading. Earl 

 Spencer all over was very fine, and will 

 take a lot of beating. 



son , Fxl rom IJea uty , Isol)el Mai col m , 

 Sunproof of Crimson, Nubian, Elsie Her- 

 bert, John Ingman, Mrs. H. Sykes, Elfrida 

 IVarson. Hercides, and Thomas Stevenson 

 have been the standard varieties for Scot- 

 tish exhibitors, aiul did well last year at 

 Cultoquhey. Mr. Thomas Fender was 

 unfortunate owing to disease and drought, 

 while lower down on the same estate Mr. 

 T. M. Kii kwood was in grand form, and did 

 well at Perth ami Crieff, and Edniburgh. 

 'J'lie following varieties did wel' with liim : 

 Mrs. Sykes. Mrs. Bread mo re, Etta Dyke 

 (Dobbies'), Charles FosttM*. Noraii Vnwin, 

 Constance Oliver, Ivliom Beauty (b<\st of 

 all), John Tngman. Helen Lewis. The King, 

 Tom Bolton, Menie Christie was grand \\\y 

 to the Perth Show, but fniled after, Mrs. 

 Hugh Dicks<m (a perfect gem). In C'Omrie 

 <Hsease showed verv hadiv \\ith tln^ Bev. 

 H. Mayall ,and in N(>wl)ur-)i. K fe, Mr. AV. 

 A. Morrison failed entii'ely owing to the 

 effects of drought and disease. Elsie Her- 

 bert completely change<l its < haracter. and 

 showed a distinct feathering or pencilling 

 in )>lac(* of the usual edging. Should the 

 lining se;is(t]i he a g;io(l swi'f^t ]ie;i vear 

 sccietaries of shows will liave troul)le in ol)- 

 toin'ng room for the shoals of entries that 

 \\\\\ he fortlicoming. 



H. S. Hallky. 



RUBUS BAMBUSARUM. 



Tlie ! ul)i whicli liave lieeii iiitrod iici'<l <hir- 

 ing tile last ten or twel\e years <'()iitai]i 

 many distiii; t and oi iiaiiicntal s)H( ics, some 

 of \\\\ ell are already Jicfoitiiiijj, jxipidar in 



■^1 : th(> best 



^1"' probable position of certain varieties 

 "oiild take in the various colour sections 

 'ii'xt year. 



Reg<arding the coming year, tliere are 

 S'fat changes in the schedule of the Perth- 

 ■ tin o Society, w'hich a keen enthusiast (who 

 seen the advance proof) describes as 



'II h^ve yet sent out." 



>o, iety have the honour of first ofTer- 

 ^ tor competition to Kcottisli growers the 

 • ^^^^ish cliallengc cup presented 



to ^^^';V°"f^ ^'^^'^'^ ^Society (open 



;V.tk^^^ they have the 



J(,1 n ''^I'^nge Cup offered bv Sir 



(tie r^'' M-P-^ Duppin 



< hallena ^""P"^'' ''^"^ ' society's 



other valuable prizes gifted by 



f'lty and county ladies and gentle- 



'^""1.. R. Bolton, W. G. I 



ottish 

 tlio 



a nd 

 iiiinent 



IIK'II 



'iZ.^''""'. ^^^^"«g and Son, and the Bound'arv 



in th 



up of twenty-seven classes, covering the 

 trade, gardeners, amateurs. allotment 

 holders, and school child rtMi . Pri/^es to 

 the value of -£21 is offeretl. nlx) n silver 

 cup and medals. The secret a ly is Mr. 

 "W. C. Hyndman, AVillow])a?ik. Dumbarton. 



In Fifeshire, Dunfermline, flie home of 

 the Cainegie Trust, had a very fine show 

 last year, and the quality was iriu.'h hettei* 

 and competition keener than in 1910. In 

 entries there were an increase of thirteen 

 over last vear's, which wore eiiiht v-thr-ee. 

 and^ considering the sei(s:in . spea ks wrll 

 for tlu^ suvcess of the com ng year. In 

 the East of Scotland the 15r oughts \* eri'\ 

 Society has held a nice little show antl con. 

 ferem*e in the pavst two years, niul is in 

 the excellent hands of Mr. James Croll. 

 Aberdeenshire, although not possessing a 

 society held a very successful show in 

 pro- Aberdeen last year (entirely owing to the 



energy of Mr. M. H. Sinclair, the secre- 

 tary), whei'e Mr. J. S. Grigor, of Forres, 

 nwin, Thyne y^j^^ princi])al prizes. The quality oi 



by 



T 



^;m,cal Company, all offer valuable prizes 



Pns,.s3^oio ^ n.^:. "^^^ schedule com- 

 s classes, divided into six sections: 

 ;^,, ;-^<>P^^^^ n., open 



■''^ v.rcls nr V ^^^"^ growers of 15 to 

 ^^•^-ver f^^P^' Sec. IV., open 



o not more than 15 yards or 



i»^*'Mdid ' ^^-^s<^ompleted with 



P^UH'r by Mr. John S Grigor on 



to 



flower was great, and the com})etit:on verv 

 keen. The honour of being the ^'fTirtherest 

 North " Sweet Pea S-ociety lielongs, we 

 think, to Strathpeffer, where ^Ir. T. O. 

 Fraser, of the Spa, the hon. secretai-y. 

 organised a most successful two <lays' 

 show on August 11 and 12 last. The 

 schedule was a good one. ten cla>se.s in all, 

 silver bowls, vases, and valuabh* cash 

 prizes being off'ered. 



it has been a\;j:lah!e to the ])ul>lic for the 

 last five years. .Messrs. J. Veitcli and 

 Sons offering it in their new ]>lant list of 

 190(). It was fii-st brought to noti<e i)v Dr. 

 A. Henry, who found it growing at an ele- 

 vation of from 4.0(10 to fJ.OOO feet in the 

 Pro\';n<'e of Hu])eh. hur it was Mr. F. H. 

 Wilsf)?! wluj succeeded in sending good seeds 

 himu^ in 1903. 



The long, slender biaiu^ho; ":row from 12 

 to lo feet in length, ami they are clothed 

 Avith trifoliate leaves, the nai-row segnients 

 of which are<leep green aboAc^ and covered 

 with a j)a!e. l>nff-co]our(Ml felt hone;ith. 

 Nothing ca?i he urged in f;iv(iur of the <le- 

 <*orative qualities of the llowers. for. though 

 boi-nt^ in fair-sized toiininnl raremes. they 

 are Ninall ami not showy. Tlie i)lack fruits 

 are sweet, but not very laige. It is a good 

 plant for ])lacing against the pc.st of ;i 

 ]>ergola or for planting against a rough 

 fence. In such positions it> elegant habit 

 and decorntive foliage are seen to advan- 

 tage, hut left without a su])))ort and the 

 hraiH'hes allowed to trail ah)n" th*- uronnd 

 much of its attractiveness is lost. Tliere 

 does not appear to he nny drniht as to its 

 general hardin*'ss. and ;t grows mcII in 

 anvord'narv ganlen soil. W. D. 



Have you had the Gardening Year Book 

 and Diary for 1912"*? It contains :]!H) nages 

 i)f sound. ])ra-tica] information. eniV)elli-hed 

 with illii>tra1 ioas in cohmr airl liiiM-tone, 



Last year was peculiar for weatlier, for Is. 3d. post free from our Publit^her. 



