September 3> l8 9 8 ' 



GARDENERS' 



MAGAZINE. 



579 



Exhibiti ons and m eetings. 



ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY OF ABERDEEN. 



Annual Show. 



The annual show of this society was held in the Duthie Park, Aberdeen, and the 

 weather during the whole three days was simply ideal. A word of praise is due 

 to Mr. Harper, the custodian of the park, for the beautiful spectacle he provided 

 fo/the numerous visitors. The arrangements made by Mr. J. B. Rennet, secre- 

 tiry of the society, were of the most perfect order. Three large marquees were 

 devoted to the various exhibits, one being for pot plants, another for cut flowers 

 and fruit, and a third for vegetables. The exhibition showed an improvement on 

 that of last year, but there was a slight falling off in vegetables. On the other 

 hind, there was an increase both in numbers and quality of the entries for fruit 

 and cut flowers. 



Cut Flowers. 



Here there was a splendid display, especially in herbaceous plants. Dahlias, 

 however, were disappointing, which the backwardness of the season easily accounts 

 for. A most creditable display was witnessed in carnations, asters, and marigolds. 

 The professionals, as was to be expected, were a long way ahead of the other 

 classes of exhibitors. This position of matters was especially noticeable in roses, 

 where Messrs. D. and W. Croll, Dundee, had first for H.P.'s, and won second prize 

 for teas. Messrs. Adam and Craigmile, Rubislaw, Aberdeen, were first for teas 

 and second for H.P.'s. There is not the slightest doubt that had the latter firm 

 shown their H. P. 's in a fresher condition, the Messrs. Croll would have had to 

 take a less honourable place. The blooms they showed were exceedingly fine, 

 but decidedly marred through being too long cut. Mr. John Smellie, Busby, was 

 first with a fine show of cactus dahlias. The bouquets shown were of very fair 

 quality, Mr. John Robertson, Ferryhill House, taking premier honours with a 

 miied bouquet ; while Mr. Robert Kiloh, Woodlands, Cults, was first for sprays 

 and also for buttonhole bouquets. We have seen much better model gardens at 

 this show in previous years, but Mr. James Lennie, The Lodge, Bannermill, had 

 certainly the best. Sweet peas were specially represented, and very fine in quality, 

 Mr. Alexander Grigor, Fairfield, being first. In the professional class for stocks, 

 Mr. Robert Kiloh, Woodlands, was first, for twelve spikes, with a splendid dis- 

 pUy ; while Mr. A. Reid, Durris, was first, with a very fine turnout of six bunches 

 of itove and greenhouse flowering plants. The entries for cut geranium trusses 

 were few but Mr William Ogg, Morken, deservedly carried first honours with a 

 gtodid lot ; while Mr. James McDonald, Balgownie Lodge, was first for twenty 

 tanches of cut flowers from the hardy flower garden. Pompon dahlias were 

 food, but there were few entries for show dahlias, Mr. Robert Kiloh, Wood- 

 ^being first for the former, and Mr. George Milne, Cluny Castle, for the last- 

 M^Lv * ^ a r S T a T,?°° d avera S e dis P la 7 ^ the professional class for roses, 



SS* I f iSV^S* WC / e DOt 50 b * Mr - Geor S e McLennon, Fetteresso 

 tefcr ,wl m ^ en ^- fo ^ roses, while Mr. William Coutts, Ellon, was 

 tot for twelve. Mr. G. Roy, Dalhebity, carried off the chief honours for six 



Pot Plants. 



preS bZZt? If 0 " S 4 r ° ng SGCti . 0n ' b0th Passionals and amateurs being re- 



K! "5 -^l^rX^^ 1 ^^ The blue ribbon of the show for the 



V^it^hT^ n effe u °?, the grOUnd in a circle of ten fe et diameter, 

 X Mb tii?fc Aberdeen, for a magnificent collection 



aaiaryll iSl^H consisting of crotons, drac<enas, palms, screw pines, 



PWP w* ^ fine?. 7> bUt . J Cr ? ict 01 com P eten t judges was that this 

 Ken stove uneZZ ^V* , A * rf . een - The first prize for the best six 



KtfA^ W ^ * thC Same 8«Ueman. The entry 



' WhuTlZ^ Eucharis 



Ifcodcrso; 



fr 



• to 



« Lindeni, and Ixora Williamsi. 

 -, of Devanha, for the splendid 

 ■ 7 the specimen plant in 



amazonica, 



Castle G 



I^ndiflor 



«"petitor w^alTo' firtr "ZT 101 u*J? id i- h ? WaS offired ^5; and the same 

 grandiflorl superba Tu7° d ' StmCt ' wkh Cattleya Harrisonte, and 



Nw. but it ^T&L at T vT ly T ° ne ent . ry for the best s P ecime « forage 



I tRi T M . r : J amts . McDonald, Balgownie Lodge, 



thorn 



i were verv or.r>A x>„ • : ~^™ wu « unc 



^«"")™iIoZ,^g^£™^^_<^ Mr. ogg, 



miliums were also Verv crnr\r] • on^ 



singles. 



ours in both classes' for doubles 



•his, 

 ' was 



Fruit. 



«7 



**« co; 



*Ptcies 



fruit 



wpnt t« *7 T j tT l more tnan two dishes of 

 of Lin AndrCW Reid ' Du " is House, for a 

 ^ 1 he judge, WereTndinerrn Th' PCache5 ' nectarines, cherries, 



Ti&^t? according* d £iS F 3 "S? Peaches were of the same 

 *3drtJ? r - A, ««dcr Silne^oiw; T f or , the , collection of hardy fruit, 



harden T?> «spberries. The last 



took 



MT- WwiX* 1 ? pIa< 

 Grant T? S P Iend «c 



Stu *n, Eden 



named gentleman was also 



pears. There was 

 being first for four 



Z S es ~ nain , el y» P«s. cabbage, cauliflower, potato, turnip, carrot, onion, 

 IST? to gentlemen's gardeners only, Mr. James Grant, Rothie' 

 3 i? ; W ,. hlle Mr « Thomas Middleton, Monymusk House, was a 



S ' ° For the collection open to gardeners only, Mr. A. Paterson, 



C^Jnn ™ ' ^ firS A l - ^. mon g the other Prizewinners worthy of mention in this 

 W ZrZt v i' ^ dleton . Woodside ; Mr. A. Howie, Fordoun ; Mr. 

 Miln J P '• P , erth ' Mr - W. Milne, Midmar; Mr. T. Gall, Hobshill ; Mr! W. 



Snwn Sf mda % H r e ' ¥ idmar ' Mr ' Frank Kinnaird, Broomhill j Mr. John 

 Brown, Delgaty Castle ; and Mr. W. Lawson, Oakbank School. 



Non-Competitive. 



an ^^ e WCre S °^ e ma g n i ficent entries, for exhibition only, made by nurserymen 

 rS»J! l ? MeS ? rS -, ?- en Reid and Co « exhibited a beautimi f collection of 



S2- r™ 1 - ^eluding ornamental conifers in pots, herbaceous flowers, 

 gladioli and carnations. Messrs. James Cocker and Sons, Aberdeen, had a grand 

 lot of herbaceous flowers, roses, pot plants, bulbs, &c, beautifully grouped in a 

 spacious marquee. Messrs. W. Smith and Son, nurserymen and seedsmen, Aber- 

 deen, bad also a prominent display in the marquee in which the plants were exhibited. 

 1. he floral work displayed was very artistic, the table on which the designs were 

 shown being flanked with handsome mirrors, tastefully draped with velvet and 

 plush. The Ichthemic Guano Company, Ipswich, exhibited their large octagon 

 stand, and around its base was a beautiful collection of fifty different varieties of 

 sweet peas, sent by Mr. H. Eckford. of Wem. Shrooshire. 



^ O *5 Purest 



Vegetables. 



. ^ .ortme 0 ^ &?S™ Were weak « than they 



ab °^ourf cec by thr / e ea - Siti*^ ofvegetab.es, 



, -vuuiuc measurements, and comprising 



SANDY AND DISTRICT HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



There is no diminution whatever in the popular appreciation ot the Sandy 



„a T a u W * £ e thlrtieth annual exhi bition appeared to be more fully 

 attended than ever. The day was brilliantly fine, the throng of visitors enormous 

 for so small a place and so scattered a district. It is probably the most compre- 

 hensive schedule of prizes offered. There are two hundred and thirty-eight classes 

 m what is known as the horticultural departments, but they include a few for 

 needlework. There is one for stuffed animals, birds, or fishes; two for examples 

 of home carving ; sixteen for honey, butter, eggs, loaves of bread, and trussed 

 poultry ; and there are one hundred and forty-six further classes for dogs, poultry 

 pigeons, rabbits, cats, and cage birds. There is something of almost everything 

 to interest the country people, and a large number of tents are required to house 

 the various exhibits. 



Some large specimen plants are indispensable to Sandy, and so are good cut 

 flowers, therefore certain classes in which good prizes are offered are open to all 

 comers. Mr. James Cypher is always an exhibitor at Sandy, and on this occasion 

 he was an easy first with ten stove and greenhouse plants in flower, having fine 

 examples of Clerodendron Balfourianum, Phencecoma prolifera Barnesi, Allamanda 

 Hendersoni, Ixora Duffi, a fine example carrying excellent trusses, Bougainvillea 

 Sandenana m capital condition, with Ericas Austiniana, Marnockiana, Aitoniana 

 and Irbyana. Mr. W. Finch, Coventry, was second, his leading plants being 

 Ixora Williamsi and I. Fraseri, Allamanda grandiflora, and Ericas Marnockiana 

 and Aitoniana. Mr. Redman, St. Neot's, was third. In the class for twelve 

 zonal pelargoniums, Mr. T. Lockie, The Gardens, Diddington Hall, St. 

 Neot's, was first with well-grown and flowered bright specimens. Then there was 

 an open class for table plants, and also for a group of plants arranged in a space 

 not exceeding fifty square feet ; Mr. Empson, gardener to Mrs. Wingfield, 

 Ampthill, was first with a very pleasing arrangement, palms, crotons, orchids, 

 pitcher plants, abutilons, nerines, &c, being well disposed in a finished group. 

 Mrs. Axtell, Woodbury Hall, was second ; and Mr. W. Finch, third. 



In the amateurs' division Mr. Empson was first with six fine foliage plants 

 having in excellent condition Kentia Belmoreana, Dracaena Sanderiana (a fine 

 piece), and D. australis variegata, Croton Weismanni, Heliconia illustris, and one 

 other ; Mrs. Axtell was second. There were classes for six stove and green- 

 house plants. ^ Coleus, represented by good coloured and well-grown bushes ; 

 begonias, achimenes, balsams, &c, with specimen foliage and flowering plants. 

 The four cockscombs shown by Mr. T. Lockie were marvels of good culture. 

 They were uniform in size and appearance, and measured from end to end nearly 

 two feet, and in width fifteen inches. They were of the purple-tinted type. Mrs. 

 Axtell came second, also with very good specimens. 



Some excellent cut flowers were shown in the open classes. Messrs. Hark- 

 ness and Sons, Hitchin, had the best forty-eight cut roses, staging some very good 

 blooms indeed for the season of the year, viz., Mrs. J. Laing, Charles Lefebvre, 

 Marechal Niel, John S. Mill, Madame J. Cointet, Ulrich Brunner, Star of 

 Waltham, Horace Vernet, Madame J. Litre, Maman Cochet, &c ; second, Mr. 

 J. Mattock, Headington, Oxford; third, Messrs. G. and W. Burch, Peterborough. 

 With eighteen tea-scented roses, Mr. J. Mattock was first, having a very credit- 

 able lot of blooms, chief among them being Maman Cochet, Marechal Niel, 

 Catherine Mermet, Souvenir d'Elise Vardon, Comtesse de Nadaillac, &c. ; 

 Messrs. Harkness and Son were second with good examples of the same varieties. 



Messrs. Harkness and Son were first with twenty-four spikes of gladioli, a fine 

 lot including some highly promising seedlings of their own raising ; Mr. C. 

 Bright, Huntingdon, was second ; and Mr. W. Bowise, Cambridge, third. Some 

 very good dahlias were shown. Messrs. Keynes, Williams, and Co., Salisbury, 

 were first with twenty-four varieties, having in fine character Dr. Keynes (a 

 model in form), Buttercup, John Walker, Mrs. Glasscock, W. Keith, J. Hickling, 

 Arthur Ocock, &C, ; Mr. John Walker was second ; and Mr. S. Mortimer, third, 

 both with very good flowers, but the latter's blooms were a little undersized, 

 Messrs. Keynes and Co. had the best twelve fancy dahlias, very good even blooms ; 

 chief among them Emin Pasha, Gaiety, Duchess of Albany, Mrs. Saunders, Geo. 

 Barnes, Peacock, Mrs. John Downie, &c. ; Mr. George Humphries was second 

 with smaller but neat blooms ; and Mr. J. Walker, third. Mr. C. Bright was 

 first with twelve pompon varieties of dahlias in bunches ; and Mr. G. Humphries 

 was second. The first prizes should have gone to this collection, as they were 

 iall, even, and bright, Mr. Bright's flowers being over large and uneven. Mr. 

 J. Walker, who was third, should have been second. 



A rare box of twelve bunches of cactus dahlias came from Messrs. Keynes and 

 Co. and formed one of the most attractive features of the show ; it also included 

 some highly promising new varieties. The leading bunches were Wallace, 

 Viscountess Sherbrooke, Countess of Lonsdale, Keynes' White, the best bunch of 

 this variety we had yet seen ; Stella, Harmony, Charles Woodbridge, and Night ; 

 Mr. C. Bright was second ; and Mr. J. Walker, third. With twelve bunches of 

 single varieties, Mr. T. W. Girdlestone, Sunningdale, was first, with a perfect 

 stand of small-sized even flowers that served to set up a standard of what single 

 dahlias should be. The leading varieties were Puck, Violet Forbes, Princess 

 Pepilo, Ruy Bias, Ganem, Naomi Tighe, Folly, and others; Mr. J. Walker, 

 second. Mr. Girdlestone obtained three certificates of merit. 



A remarkable feature was the open class for twenty-four bunches of herbaceous 

 and bulbous flowers; and it brought two very fine exhibits, one from Messrs. 



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