944 



THE GARDENERS' MAGAZINE. 



December 7, 1912. 



EXHIBITIONS 



AND 



MEETINGS. 



Aberdeen Chrysanthemum 



Society. 



NOVEMBER 22 and 23. 



The annual show of this society, held in 

 the Young Men's Christian Institute Hall, 

 Aberdeen, on the above dates, proved, de- 

 spite the untoward and sunless season re- 

 markably good. True, the hall in which it 

 was held was rather small, compared with 

 the magnificent proportions of the music hall, 

 where in former years the show was 

 wont to be held, but, nevertheless, the event 

 turned out all right. The secretary, Mr. 

 M, H. Sinclair, was a.t his post a of yore, 

 and had all the arrangements properly car- 

 ried out with his usual ability. 



POT PLANTS. 



The entries in this section were certainly 

 somewhat smaller than has been the case 

 in former years, but the quality wa^ well 

 kepi up. There were few entries for groups 

 arranged for effect, chrysanthemums to be 

 the leading feature, but those staged were 

 really very good. Mr._.Ek>bert Begg, gar- 

 dener to A. E. Gray, Garthdee, by 

 Aberdeen, led the way here/ His was a capi- 

 tal group, and, from the point of qualitv, it 

 ^yell deserved premier place. We would have 

 liked, however, had the edging not gone so 

 far up before meeting the blooms. The 

 group was topped by a finely-grown Kentia 

 palm, while fine exa^mples of Cocos Wedde!- 

 liana variety added considerably to the 

 effect. Mr. Begg's blooms were undoubtedly 

 far and away the best in quality, and in- 

 eluded capitally-grown specimens of Hon. 

 Mrs. Lopee., Mrs. A. T. Miller, the new 

 white Master James, J. H. Silsbury, and 

 several beautiful singles, such as E. Pagra 

 and Dickson's Euby. The ferns forming the 

 foliage included some very fine specimens of 

 Nephrolepis Whitmanni. Second place was 

 taken by Mr. John E. Davies, gardener 

 to Colonel Stuart Eichardson of Ballathie 

 Perthsh ire (an estate, it may here be not^d, 

 that changed hands on November 22). From 

 the point of view of value, this group was 

 a very fine one. Visitors to Aberdeen shows 

 have not for a very long day seen a more 

 admirable collection of crotons than formed 

 part of Mr. Davies's group. Indeed, they 

 were euperb, being finely grown, and beaii- 

 tifully coloured. The wonder was often ex- 

 pressed that such valuable nlants were taken 

 so long a journey at this time of the year. 

 That they must have deteriorated consider- 

 ably before they reached Ballathie again goes 

 without saying. White, yellow, crimson, 

 and pink shades of chrysanthemums made up 

 a very fine group. It was the quality, how- 

 ever, which gained for Mr. Begg his leading 



place. In this respect his blooms were un- 

 questionably the best. 



Mr. Begg was also first and second for 

 specimen chry-anthemums in pots. with qrrand 

 entries. Tliese included a magnificent pot 

 of Nellie Pookett. and an entry which was 

 univer^^ally admired. Mr. Begg also took 

 leading honours for single and decorative 

 chrysanthemums. 



CUT FLOWERS, 



If somewhat thinner than we have seen 

 it in former years. neverthelesB, this proved 

 a most delightful section, and one which re- 

 flected the greatest possible credit on the 

 growers. For the beet eighteen blooms of 

 Japanese chrysanthemums, six varieties, Mr. 

 John E. Davies won an easy first. Hie entry 

 nicluded exquisite specimens of Mdme. Paolo 

 Eadaelli, Mrs. F. W, Vallis. Mrs. Eric Cross- 

 ley Master David. Mrs. F. S. Vallis, and 

 vViIham Turner. Mr. John McEobbie gar- 



Charles Forbes, Bart., of NcAve, 

 >5trathdon, Aberdeenshire, made a v^rv goi)d 

 second his blooms also' being verv" much 

 adrnirod. In the class for six blooms of 

 yellow and white Japanese chrysanthe- 



mums, Mr. Duncan McLean, gardener 

 to Mrs. Thornton, Thornton Castle, Kin. 

 cardinetsh ire, led the way, closely fol- 

 lowed by that well-known grower, Mr. 

 J. A. Grigor, gardener to Mrs. Dunbar- 

 Dunbar, Seapark, Forres, N.B. Mr. Grigor 

 secured first place for best twelve blooms 

 with a really fine entry, which included 

 capitally-grown specimens of Lady Talbot, 

 Mrs. A. T. Miller, Pres. Viger, K, Vallis, 

 Lady Conyer.s, Mr^. L. ITiorn, iiessie God^ 

 irey, J. H. Silsbury, and White Queen. Mr. 

 John Day, gardener to Mr. J. C. O. Couper, 

 of Craigiebuckler, by Aberdeen, made a really 

 good second. 



For the best three blooms of one variety, 

 Mr. Duncan iMcLean, Thornton Ca&tle, won 

 grandly with exquisite specimens of Mrs. 

 A. T. Miller. Mr. J. A. Grigor, Seapark, 

 Forres, was second with much-admired speci- 

 mens of Sir F, Crisp. A very fine display 

 was made in the sections devoted to single 

 and decorative chrysanthemums. For the 

 best eighteen vases of decorative chrysanthe- 

 mums, Mr. J. A. Grigor, Seapark, had 

 matters pretty much his own way. Mr. John 

 Petrie, gardener to Sir Thomas Burnett, 

 Bart., of Leys, Crathe^ Castle, near Aber- 

 deen, had a leally fine win for the best nine 

 vases of decorative chrysanthemums. His 

 entry comprised beautifuiiy-grown specimens 

 of Bronze Triumphant, White Quintus, Le 

 Friquet, La Triumphant, Soleil de Octobre, 

 Chateau St. Victor, Mrs. A. Kirk, and 

 Eadium. Mr. Alex. Grigor, gardener, 

 iiuit House, Banffshire, was a very 

 second. 



good 



flowering 



For the best twelve varieties of single- 



„ chrysanthemums, the premier 

 honour went to Mr. J. A. Grigor- Mr W 

 Scorgie, gardener to the Misses McLennan' 

 SpringhiU, Aberdeen, taking a very worthy 

 second place. For the best six vases of single 

 varieties, Mr. Robert Begg, Garthdee, had a 

 very fineentry, which rightly earned for him 

 premier place. No doubt the weather has 

 been far from propitious of late, but the 



re were really very 

 good being large in size and of very good 

 quality For these, Mr. William Milne gar. 

 dener Corsmdae, Midmar. Aberdeenshire, 

 liad hrst and second places here Mr W 

 bcorgie Springhill, taking third place." 



1 He display of orchids was certainly small 

 but what they lacked in numbers they amply 

 made up for in quality. Than the specimens 

 show-n by Mr. Andrew Eeid, gardener to Mr. 

 Baird Burns House, by Aberdeen, nothing 

 finer has been seen in Aberdeen for a lon| 

 time. He had a very strong and worthy au- 

 tagonast in Mr. Alexander Duncan, gardener 

 to Lord Provost Maitland, Rubisllw Den 

 House, Aberdeen. Chiefly of the cattleya 

 llfj^:,'^^?''''^ families, they attracted 



fi, 1^"^'°°' ^""^ "^^'^^ '""^h admired, 

 lor the best six varieties of cut flowers Mr 



John Petne, Crathes Castle, took fiT^t fnd 

 second places with exceedingly fine entries, 

 Mr Andrew Reid, Durris House, bringing 

 up the rear. ° ° 



Bouquets, if not numerous, were verv 

 chaste in design, leading places here beinj 

 taken by Mr. Alexander Cummings Granitf 

 Hill Nurseries Aberdeen, and M^. J 1 

 Wh Union Grove, Aberdeen. Mr. Davies 

 Bal athie, had a very fine win for baskets' 

 while Mr John Petrie, Crathes Castle and 



hoLif; i ^'■i^?'"' ^^V^^^' divided" the 

 bouquel. '^'^^^ buttonhole 



FRUIT. 



A very fine show was made in this section 



crellir^n '.n ^'^'^'^^J^^ greatest ^ZsMe 

 CI edit on all concerned. The outstandincr 



fully coloured many of the entries were, de- 



spite the dull and sunles6 season through 

 which we have just passed. Mr. C. Stuart 

 gardener to A. B. Innes^ E^q., of Raemoirl 

 near Aberdeen, had a line win lor the best coL 

 lection of kitchen apples, his specimens of 

 Belle de Pontoise, Blenheim Orange, Cellini 

 and Warner's King being greatly 'praised' 

 Mr. Stuar;t also led for dessert apples, his 

 entry comprising Allington Pippin, Blenheim 

 r\ T>, Worcester Pearniain, and 



Mr. C. A. 



Gumming, 

 Brander, ol 



Orange Pippin, 

 Kin g of P ippin s . 



gardener to Captain Dunbar ^ 



Pitgaveny, Elgin, had a really line win for 

 baking apples, his entry comprising capitally- 

 grown specimens of Peasgood Nonsuch. Mr. 

 J. A. Grigor, Seapark, Porres, was second 

 with Lord Derby. Dessert apples were not 

 very numerous, but the plates of Charles 

 RosQ shown by Mr. John Coutts. Eosefield, 

 Elgin, worthily earned for him premier place. 

 Pears formed an admirable feature, the 

 baking specimens — Gros^e Calebasse— entered 

 by Mr. C. A, Gumming, Pitgaveny, Elgin, 

 well meriting first place. Mr. J. A. Grigor, 

 Seapark^ Forres, carried off leading honours 

 for dessert pears. 



Grapes were not very numerous, but those 

 from Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen, worthily took 

 first place. Mr, Andrew Eeid, Durris House, 

 and Mr. Davies, Ballathie, Perthshire, came 

 next in order. Mr. John Petrie, Crathes 



— - - — — 



Castle, had some very fine plates of toma- 

 toes forward, which well deserved the honour 

 awarded. 



VEGETABLES. 



In this section the competition, was keen. 

 For the best collection, Mr. J. Gordon, 

 Broomend^ Inverurie, Aberdeenshire, had a 

 really fine win, his entry comprising cauli- 

 flower. Autumn Mammoth ; carrots, St. 

 Valery; onions, Cranstone's Excelsior; leek, 

 Debbie's Prize; Brussels sprouts. Solidity; 

 and Up-to-Date potatoes. Cabbages were not 

 very much in evidence, but those sent in 

 by Mr. John. Pater&on, gardener to Messrs. 

 Pegler and Co. were really good. Mr. A. Gar- 

 diner, gardener to Colonel Stewart, of Drum- 

 duan, near Aberdeen, had a fine win for 

 Brussels sprouts, Mr, W. Scorgie, Spring- 

 hill, was fir&t for cauliflowers, and Mr. Gar- 

 den, Broomend, Inverurie, had the best 

 celery. There was a capital show of turnips, 

 the samples forward being clean, well-grown, 

 and finely-ehaped, Mr, Milne, Corsindae 

 Gardens, Cluny, Aberdeenshire, led the way 

 here, while for leeks, which were a very fine 

 lot, Mr. Garden and Mr, Scorgie divided the 

 honours. 



Onions were a capital display, thoee sent- 

 by Mr. R. A, Grigor, Dalswinton, Dumfries, 

 being much admired. Beetroot showed up 

 very well, the quality and texture being very 

 good. Mr. J. Coutts, Eosefield, Elgin, wa^ 

 first here, while for carrots Mr. John Pater- 

 son (of Messrs. Pegler and Co.) was first 

 with admirable specimens. Ever a strong 

 feature at this show, the potato section was, 

 as usual, a fine display. That well-known 

 and most succes^^ful grower, Mr. J. Ferguson, 

 Linton House, Souchen, Cluny, Aberdeen- 

 shire, was, as is his wont, again well to the 

 front, his entries comprising exquisitely- 

 grown specim 



AMATEURS. 



"Very meritorious indeed, was the display 

 made by the amateurs. It is evident the 

 amateur finds the recreation of growing the 

 chrysanthemum a fascinating one. He is 

 constantly learning something, profiting hy 

 his errors, and finding ample scope for hi^^ 

 ingenuity. And not least of the many allure- 

 ments of ''mum " growing is the gratification 

 of the artistic sense. Leading places in this 

 section were taken, by Mr. John Davidson, 

 223, Hardgate, Aberdeen; Mr. John Milue, 

 357, Hardgate. Abeideen ; and Mr. John 

 Thomson, Allan Street, Aberdeen, each of 

 whom sent in entries that were a credit and 

 honoHT to tlipn. 



