September 18, 1884. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
267 
ut flowers is 300 feet long by 85 feet broad. The hall containing the bulk of 
he plants is 1(11 feet long and 80 feet broad ; a second hall, also devoted to 
plants, fruits, and the honey e.xhibits, is 100 feet long and 80 feet wide ; a 
space in the rear similar to that in front, but about half the length, being 
devoted to vegetables. A large staff of Judges was engaged, including some 
of the leading horticulturists in England and Scotland, those in the several 
sections being as follows For Fruits ; Messrs. A. F. Barron, Chiswick ; 
Malcolm Dunn, Dalkeith Palace; R. Westcott, Raby Castle, Darlington ; 
John Webster, (Jordon Castle; John Fowler, Castle Kennedy ; ThomasLnnt, 
Ardgowan; and James Morrison, Archerfield. For Plants: Messrs. B. S. 
Williams, Upper Holloway, London; T. Baines, London; J. Routledge, 
Freelands, Perth ; and J. Lindsey, Curator, Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh. 
For Cut Flowers : Messrs. John Downie, Edinburgh ; James Grieve, Bury St. 
Edmunds ; George Wyness, Usan ; and R. P. Brotherston, Tyninghame. 
For Vegetables : Messrs. Thos. Ormiston, Alloa Castle ; A. Mackinnon, 
Scone Palace; J. Browning, Dupplin Castle; and P. Whitton, Methven 
Castle. 
All day on Wednesday and throughout the night exhibitors were busy 
staging their contributions, as judging was timed to commence at 7 A.M. on 
Thursday morning, and so well were the arrangements carried out that very 
little delay occurred. The Show was opened to the public at 11 a.ji. by the 
Right Hon. the Earl of Strathmore with an appropriate speech, and a large 
number of visitors soon assembled, the hall being crowded throughout 
the day. 
FEUIT. 
A grand display of fruits was provided, and though a few weak samples 
were observable in several of the classes, the majority of the exhibits were 
distinguished by more than ordinary merit. This especially applies to the 
collections and Grapes, which included some extremely fine specimens. 
Hardy fruits were also fairly well represented, and Apples were much finer 
and more numerous than might have been expected this season. After the 
collections, however, the Grapes formed the largest and in every way the 
most important portion of the fruit show ; but the exhibits in these classes 
varied considerably in quality, some being extraordinarily fine, and a few 
were not fit for the exhibition table. 
Collections. —The leading class was that for sixteen sorts of fruits, in 
which there were four competitors—Mr. Mclndoe, gardener to Sir J. Pease, 
Bart., Hutton Hall, Guisborough, Yorkshire ; Mr. (x. Johnston, gardener to 
the Earl of Strathmore, Glamis Castle, Forfar ; Mr. David Murray, Culzean 
Gardens, Maybole ; and Mr. Goodacre, Elvaston Castle Gardens, Derby. All 
these were very close in merit, but the collections from the first two 
exhibitors named above were particularly meritorious, and the Judges had 
exceedingly great difficulty in determining which should take precedence. 
After a careful comparison it was, however, decided in favour of Mr. Mclndoe, 
who won the premier award by a few points only, though in the opinion of 
some experienced horticulturists present there was a clear difference in the 
merits of the competing samples. The Yorkshire fruits comprised the 
following varieties :—Grapes, Black Hamburgh, good bunches, and berries 
of medium colour ; Trebbiano, very large, but some of the berries were 
rather green ; Gros Maroc, large and finely coloured ; Muscat of Alexandria, 
of rather indifferent quality, one bunch well coloured, but slightly withered, 
and the other was greenish. The two Melons, Scarlet Premier and B?st of 
All, were strong points in this collection, as they were beautifully ripened 
and superbly netted ; very seldom indeed are such handsome specimens seen 
at exhibitions. The Pines, Smooth Cayenne and Queen, were also very even 
and well developed. Peaches, Princess of Wales, were large and handsome, 
Violette Hative being finely coloured. Nectarines Humboldt were well 
ripened. Durondeau Pears, Brown Turkey Figs, Magnum Bonum Plums, 
and Green Gages, all ripe and of good appearance, completed a most creditable 
and praiseworthy collection, and one which well deserved the honours it 
gained. 
Mr. J. Johnston’s collection, though second, was one that any grower 
might have been proud to own. It included dishes of the following :— 
Grapes, Raisin de (jalabre, large and of fair colour ; Madresfield Court, fine 
berries, but not quite coloured to the base ; Muscat of Alexandria, finer than 
those in the first stand, of better colour, and altogether preferable ; Black 
Alicante, small berries, but finely coloured. The Pines were rather irregular, 
the Smooth Cayenne was large and well proportioned ; but the other. Prince 
Albert, wa? much smaller, though well ripened. Pitmaston Orange 
Nectarines were fine ; Green Gage and Victoria Plums were similarly good ; 
Morello Cherries, Red Magdalen Peaches handsome, Stirling Castle Peaches 
excellently coloured, Moorpark Apricots, and a pretty dish of Due de Telliers 
Nectarines. The third position was gained by Mr. David Murray, who had 
a less even collection, and rather weak in one or two dishes, but yet included 
some fine specimens. The Grapes were Madresfield Court, even bunches, 
not quite sufficiently coloured ; Raisin de Calabre, very large and handsome ; 
Gros Guillaume, large ; Muscat of Alexandria, good size bunches and fair 
colour. The other dishes were Smooth Cayenne Pine, Brown Turkey Figs, 
Coe’s Golden Drop Plums, Royal George Peaches, Pitmaston Orange 
Nectarines, Kirke’s Plum, Worcester Pearmain Apples, Conqueror of Europe 
and Bloxholm Hall Melons, and Williams’ Bon Chretien Pears, all of medium 
size, but mostly well ripened. 
In the class for twelve sorts there were three competitors, Mr. D. 
Dickson, gardener to J. Balfour Melville, Esq., St. Andrews, winning the 
leading prize with finely coloured Black Hamburgh, Gros Colman, and Muscat 
of Alexandria Grapes ; handsome Orange Apricots, large and finely coloured ; 
Victoria Nectarines, rather green ; Barrington Peaches, large and handsome; 
White I.schia Figs, good; Blenheim Orange,and Best of All Melons; Walburton 
Admirable Peaches, fine and well ripened ; Kirke’s Plums, large ; and Williams’ 
Bon Chretien Pears. Mr. McKelvie, gardener to the Duchess of Roxburghe, 
Brixmonth Park, Dunbar, was placed second with fruits but few points 
behind the others, his most noteworthy dishes being Muscat of Alexandria 
and Black Alicante Grapeq fine bunches and excellently coloured, especially 
the last named ; Noblesse Peaches and Elruge Nectarines, good ; Moorpark 
Apricots, large and handsome ; Barrington Peaches of great size ; and Carters’ 
Emerald Melon. Mr. David Ross, The Gardens, St. Martin’s, Perth, was 
third, showing Red Masculine Apricots and Gosford Black Grapes in capital 
condition. 
There was the same number of exhibitors in the class for eight sorts of 
furits. Mr. J. Day, The Gardens, Galloway House, Garlieston, was first, 
staging Muscat of Alexandria and Alicante Grapes in fine form, good in size, 
colour, and bloom ; Princess of Wales Peaches and Magnum Bonum Plums 
were also notable dishes in his collection. Second honours were secured by 
Mr. P. W. Fairgrieve, gardener to the Duchess of Athole, Dunkeld, whose best 
dish was Welbeck Seedling Nectarines, and the third place was accorded 
to Mr. A. Smith, gardener to J. H. Gilchrist, E.sq., Speddock, Dumfries, who 
had a fine bunch of Buckland Sweetwater Grapes well ripened. 
Grapes. —A considerable portion of the space devoted to fruits in the 
central hall was occupied by the Grapes in competition, and as thirty classes 
were appropriated to them it may be readily imagined that they required 
some extensive accommodation. One side of the table, 100 feet long, was 
filled with the Grapes, besides some yards upon the opposite side, and very 
rarely indeed are so many fine examples seen together. It is true that the 
critical observer might detect several defective bunches, and perhaps there 
was a slight want of colour in the white varieties generally, but the black 
Grapes mostly carried a good bloom. 
Collections of Varieties. —A class was provided for eight bunches of 
Grapes, distinct varieties ; and six fine collections were entered. Mr. David 
Murray succeeded, gaining the chief position with superb, even bunches, 
well ripened and grandly coloured. It included some of the rest Grapes in 
the Show, and Mr. Murray well merited the honour he so ably won. The 
varieties represented were Madresfield Court, compact well-formed bunches, 
finely coloured; Golden Queen, clear, rich, good colour; Alnwick Stedling, 
fine in bunch and excellent colour ; Gros Guillaume, large and bearing a good 
bloom ; Muscat of Alexandria, remarkably handsome, possessing that rich 
amber tint so rarely seen ; Black Alicante ; Mrs. Pince, even and well 
finished ; and Foster’s Seedling, good in size of bunch and berry, and fairly 
ripened. Mr. Kirk, gardener to J. T. Paton, Esq., Alloa, won second honours 
with a fine collection, comprising Black Hamburgh, finely coloured ; Duke 
of Buccleuch, wonderfully fine in bunch and berry, and equally well ripened ; 
Lady Downe’s, beautifully coloured; Alicante, splendid bunch ; Muscat of 
Alexandria, excellently ripened ; Alnwick Seedling, pure colour, dense bloom ; 
and Buckland Sweetwater, well ripened. Mr. McKelvie was third with 
large bunches, but not so well coloured as in the two preceding collections. 
Muscat of Alexandria, Buckland Sweetwater, and Alnwick Seedling were, 
however, well shown. For six varieties, one bunch of each, there were again 
three entries, Mr. Dickson taking the lead with Golden Queen, rather green ; 
Alnwick Seedling, fine colour; Muscat Hamburgh, large bunch, rather 
red ; Gros Colman ; and Black Hamburgh, large bunches of medium size 
but good colour ; Muscat of Alexandria, beautifully ripened. Mi’. J. Reid, 
gardener to Provost Moncur, Dundee, followed, showing splendid examples 
of Gros Colman and Muscat of Alexandria, but the latter was slightly 
wanting in colour. Mr. Hammond, gardener to Sir Wilfrid Lawson, Bart., 
Brayton, Carlisle, was third, staging Gros Maroc and Raisin de Calabre of 
great size. There was keen competition in the class for four varieties, no 
less than eleven collections being staged. Mr. Thomas Boyd, gardener to 
Wm. Forbes, Esq., Callender Park. Falkirk, was accorded the premier place 
for very handsome examples of Lady Downe’s, Alicante, Muscat of Alex¬ 
andria, and Black Hamburgh, all beautifully coloured. Mr. Day followed, 
having Alicante. Muscat of Alexandria, Gros Colman, and Foster’s Seedling, 
well ripened. Mr. Louden, The Gardens, The Quinta, Chirk, was third, his 
best bunches being Muscat of Alexandria and Gros Colman. 
Thirteen classes were devoted to the leading varieties of Grapes sepa¬ 
rately, two bunches of each, and these occupied considerable space. 
Gros Guillaume. —Three competitors entered this class, Mr. Mclndoe 
winning the first place with very large and finely coloured examples. Mr. 
Murray followed with smaller but finely coloured bunches. Mr. Reed was 
third with larger bunches, but smaller in the berry. 
Alicante.—ThQ competition was extremely keen in this class, eleven lots 
being staged, and nearly all of them were capitally coloured. Mr. J. Day 
secured the premier position with large bunches and finely coloured. Mr. 
Hammond followed with medium-sized bunches and berries of good colour, 
Mr. Thompson being adjudged the third place for excellently coloured but 
irregular bunches. 
Black Uamburcjh. —The popularity of this Grape was shown by the 
number of entries (thirteen) exceeding those in all the other classes. Mr. 
Boyd was awarded the premier prize for fine bunches, medium-sized berries, 
and good colour. Mr. H. Smith, gardener to J. H. C. Clark, Esq., Speddock, 
Dumfries, was second with fairly coloured examples; and Mr. J. Beisant, 
gardener to Mrs. Armistead, Castle Huntley, was third. 
Gros Colman. —Only two pairs of bunches were entered, Mr. Mclndoe 
leading with fine bunches, the berries large but slightly wanting in colour. 
No second prize was awarded ; and the third-prize bunches from Mr. Andrew 
Scott, gardener to James Shanks, Esq., Arbroath, were small, the berries 
being, however, of good size and the colour good. 
Lady Boione's .—Eight competitors entered this class, showing very close 
even samples, and mostly well coloured. Mr. P. Boyd was awarded the 
leading honours for large even bunches bearing an excellent bloom. Mr. 
Murray was second with smaller but similarly well-coloured bunches. 
Mr. McKelvie took the third place with even bunches, the berries fine but 
wanting in colour. , , , 
Madresfield Court.—'Mr. Mclndoe and Mr. John Hannah, gardener to 
Sir Herbert Maxwell, M.P., Monreith, Wigtownshire, were the only exhibitors 
of this variety, and neither showed it in as good condition as it has been 
seen at some of the London exhibitions recently. The prizes were awarded 
in the order named above, the premier bunches being compact, of medium 
size, and the colour good. Mr. Hannah’s bunches were large and the berries 
fine’, but they were slightly wanting in colour and appeared to have been 
somewhat rubbed. 
Mrs. Pince.—Four lots were staged of this variety, Mr. Murray securing 
the chief prize for handsome bunches as regards form and size, but rathir 
deficient in colour. Mr. G. Reid had smaller bunches, and still less well 
coloured. Mr. Haig, gardener to Sir Thomas Munro, Lindertis, was third 
for large bunches, but not satisfactorily finish'd. 
Muscat Hamburgh. —This was an interesting class, for to the leading 
exhibitor, Mr. Boyd, was awarded the Veitch Memorial medal and prize of 
£5, and strangely enough the Judges had hesitated between this and another 
exhibit from the same grower, so that he had a double chance of obtaining 
this much-coveted honour. The bunches selected for the chief position in 
the class, and to which the other prizes were subsequently awarded, were 
