2C6 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. i September 21,1882. 
growing it in pots from 8 to 10 inches in size on shelves in the 
vinery, and also on the stage of a small lean-to 18 by 10, facing 
south against the back wall ; but in every case the cuttings have 
fruited better than the seedlings, and I have gathered two or three 
dishes every week since 1st of June. I have both seedlings and 
cuttings out of doors against a south wall, but in every case the 
cuttings are dwarfer and surer bearers, and some seedlings from 
Trophy are of no use whatever. When in Cardiganshire two years 
ago I tasted a great many varieties, such as Greengage, Golden 
Drop, &c., hut do not think any of them are better than the older 
varieties of Orangefield and Tomato de Laye. I cannot see the 
advantage of growing them too large or coarse, and I think the 
rounder and smoother varieties, when well ripened in a house, are 
much the best for table purposes.—C. P. P. 
[The fruit sent was the true Orangefield, a most useful variety, 
and one which is grown in many large establishments in preference 
to all others.] 
ROYAL CALEDONIAN HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY'S 
(INTERNATIONAL) SHOW. 
Edinburgh, September 13th and 14th. 
Seven years ago the Society which has done so much for the 
promotion of horticulture in the north—indeed in the kingdom, 
achieved a triumph in the character of an exhibition which has been 
deeply graven on the page of history, by having been the scene of a 
contest unrivalled in the annals of Grape culture. Those who had the 
privilege of inspecting the grand display of fruit on that occasion, even 
exclusive of the nearly quarter-hundredweight bunches of Grapes, 
will not soon forget it. Undoubtedly the prestige of that great 
Show—infinitely too large for the building in which it was held—has 
continued to the present time, and has in no small degree stimulated 
the wide public interest that was manifested in the Exhibition we 
have now to describe. By the earnestness of individuals and the 
enterprise of societies some great undertaking is organised from time 
to time, to which the attention of horticulturists is directed from 
every district in Great Britain. Since the last Edinburgh tournament 
we have had the Carlisle “ International,” and its attendant deluge in 
1877 ; the Preston fiasco, and the same concomitant—rain—in 1878 ; 
and last year the great Manchester gathering, and the deluge again ; 
and now the turn of Edinburgh has come round once more. 
Great provision was made for the Show under notice. The schedule 
was characteristically northern, sober but sound. It was divided 
into eight classes—what in the south would be termed sections—and 
embraced 175 sections—what are generally known as classes. Thus 
to the majority of readers there was a topsy-turvedom of terms. It 
will be convenient to us, as well as more intelligible to readers 
generally, to adopt the ordinary form—namely, to regard the exhibits 
as arranged in classes under eight sections or divisions. The first 
division contained six classes for Pines, the prizes ranging from £3 to 
10*. ; three collections of Grapes, two of six and one of four varieties, 
the prizes ranging from £8 to £1; classes for two bunches each of all 
the leading varieties of Grapes, with corresponding classes for single 
bunches and for seedlings, the prizes ruling from £3 to £1, only 
two prizes, however, being provided in several of the classes. Divi¬ 
sion 2 was devoted entirely to Grapes, in fifteen classes, in none of 
which the exhibitors in the thirty-seven classes in Division 1 could 
compete—a wise provision—as thus a field was provided in which the 
greatest possible number could win a place in the prize list. Alto¬ 
gether upwards of a hundred prizes were provided for Grapes alone, 
of the aggregate value of nearly £170. Division 3 was, except in 
three collections, for fruits other than Pines and Grapes. Division 4 
was for fruits of foreign growth, £160 being offered in six prizes. 
It was in virtue of this offer that the term “ International” was justi¬ 
fied, although in all probability competition was scarcely expected, 
and perhaps not urgently required. Division 5 was for plants from 
gardeners and amateurs in thirty-seven classes, the chief for ten stove 
and greenhouse specimens, for which the prizes were £20, £15, 
and £10. The last-named sum was also provided for the first prize 
for six plants, and for a table of plants 20 by 5 feet for quality and 
effect. In this section also were fifteen classes for cut flowers. 
Division 6 was for dinner-table decorations ; Division 7 for nursery¬ 
men’s plants and cut flowers, the prizes not exceeding those offered 
in the preceding sections ; and Division 8 contained fifteen classes 
for vegetables. Altogether provision was made for awarding 450 
prizes, of the collective amount of nearly £1000 ; and now let us see 
the result. 
The response of exhibitors was at once great and gratifying—great 
because they produced an Exhibition that must rank as one of the 
finest that has been seen ; and gratifying because the products as a 
whole were a honour to the cultivators, even to many of those who 
failed to obtain a place in the prize list. The entries exceeded two 
thousand, and we were told, what is a remarkable circumstance, and 
evidence at once of the earnestness of the competitors, and at the 
same time highly creditable to them—namely, that only one failed to 
meet his engagement and appropriate the space allotted to him. 
The Show was held in the Waverley Market—a glass-roofed 
building upwards of 300 feet long and 150 feet wide, a side gallery 
surrounding it—the finest and most convenient place for an exhibition 
we have seen, as the vans containing the plant3, &c., could be brought 
to the side of the tables. These, 18 inches high and 6 feet wide, were 
arranged in seven rows, but not unbroken rows, for spaces were left 
between at intervals for facilities of promenade, and thus everything 
could be conveniently inspected. A table was also formed along one 
side and both ends of the building for vegetables and hardy fruit. 
The whole of this space was filled—crowded—and, what is especially 
worthy of mention, there were fewer exhibits of an inferior character 
than we ever noticed at an exhibition approaching this in magnitude ; 
indeed, there was scarcely anything but what was creditable to the 
respective cultivators. In referring to the classes we shall follow 
the order of the schedule in giving priority to the. fruit; but the 
classes will not be followed exactly according to their arrangement, 
as we shall commence with what formed unquestionably the greatest 
feature of the Show—namely, 
GRAPES. 
Prominence was appropriately given to these, the prince of exotic 
fruits, no less than forty classes being devoted to them. The dis¬ 
play was a splendid one, by far the best that has been seen this 
year in this or, it may be said with much confidence, in any other 
country, some fourteen hundred bunches being placed in competition. 
A few were small and unripe, but only a few ; the majority were 
undoubtedly of excellent quality—indeed to secure a third place in 
some of the classes was a greater honour than would be achieved by 
a first position at the majority of exhibitions. In the special class 
for two bunches each of six varieties eleven very fine collections 
were staged, Mr. Mclndoe, gardener to Sir Jos. Pease, Bart., Hutton 
Hall, securing the coveted position. Gros Guillaume, grand bunches, 
about 9 tbs. full, and with fine berries ; Trebbiano, equally large and 
good ; Black Hamburgh, about 3 tbs., good hammered berries ; Golden 
Champion, nearly the same size, good berries, and very clear ; Gros 
Colman, of full average quality; and Mrs. Pince’s Muscat, full and 
regular but not quite ripe. Mr. Hunter, gardener to the Earl of 
Durham, Lambton Castle, followed with Golden Champion and Gros 
Colman, both fine ; Trebbiano, Alicante, and Gros Guillaume, large, 
6 lbs.; and Muscat of Alexandria, good. The third prize falling to 
Mr. Kirk, gardener to Thomson Paton, Esq., Norwood, for even 2-lb. 
bunches, with splendid berries of Gros Colman, Muscat Hamburgh, 
Alnwick Seedling, Duke of Buccleuch, Black Hamburgh, and Muscat 
of Alexandria. This exhibitor has only, we are told, a small vinery. 
Mr. McKelvie, gardener to Dowager Duchess of Roxburgh,. Brox- 
mouth; Mr. Hammond, Brayton, and Mr. Johnston, Glammis, had 
wonderfully fine collections. 
For the best six sorts of Grapes, one bunch of each, ten collections 
were staged, which contained many splendid examples of culture. Mr. 
Hunter was awarded the chief honours with Muscat of Alexandria, 
4 lbs., full and fine ; Gros Guillaume, heavier, also fine ; Mrs. Pearson, 
1 lb., neat, well finished ; Gros Colman, a small, but model in shape and 
finish; Calabrian Raisin, 3 tbs., full and ripe; Black Alicante, 5 tbs., full 
and well finished, and Trebbiano weighing 7 or 8 tbs. Mr. Kirk was 
placed second with superb examples similar to those referred to in 
the previous class, and Mr. McKelvie third with heavier bunches ; 
Muscat of Alexandria 5 to 6 tbs., splendid ; Gros Colman and Buck- 
land Sweetwater 2 lbs., superior ; neat Black Prince and Black Ham¬ 
burgh, with a large bunch of Calabrian Raisin. Messrs. Roberts, 
Goodacre (Elvaston Castle Gardens), and Lees staged very good col¬ 
lections. In the class for four varieties, one bunch of each, the 
competitors in the two preceding classes excluded, seven collec¬ 
tions were staged. First, Mr. Elphinstone, gardener to E. W. Mundy, 
Esq., Shipley, Derby, with Gros Colman, splendid berries ; Golden 
Queen, fine ; Muscat of Alexandria, small but ripe ; and Madresfield 
Court, very good. Second, Mr. Dickson, gardener to J. W. Melville, 
Esq., St. Andrew’s, with Golden Queen, Muscat of Alexandria, Black 
Hamburgh, and Gros Colman, all superb quality, bunches averaging 
1^ tb. Third, Mr. Roberts, gardener to Lady Emily Howard, Tulla- 
more, with large loose bunches, but berries ripe and well finished. 
We now come to the two-bunch classes. For two bunches of 
Black Hamburghs ten lots were staged, a few being brown. Mr. 
Mclndoe was first; 2-lb. bunches and very fine berries, not all, how¬ 
ever, jet black. Mr. McIntyre, gardener to C. Tennent, Esq., M.P., 
The Glen, Innerleithen, second with smaller bunches but better ber¬ 
ries. Mr. Roberts, Gunnersbury, third ; had his berries been a trifle 
larger he would have been first, for they were the blackest of all. 
Remarks were freely exchanged relative to what may be termed 
the comparative weakness of the Black Hamburghs, but the fact is 
this : The “ Hamburgh season ” is practically over so far as regards 
the finish of this fine old Grape, for although the fruit will hang 
long and retain its good quality, it will not retain its density of 
bloom, and bunches that were splendid a fortnight or three weeks 
ago are by no means so attractive in appearance now. 
Two bunches of Muscat Hamburgh.—The first prize was awarded 
to Mr. G. Reid, gardener to A. Moncur, Esq., Rockfield, Dundee, 
w r ith 1-lb. bunches, full, regular, well-finished berries ; the second to 
Mr. Roberts, Gunnersbury, with bunches as large again and full, but 
not perfectly ripe. We did not see a third award, but Mr. Elphin¬ 
stone deserved that position. 
Two bunches of Madresfield Court.—This was an excellent class 
of seven competitors. First, Mr. Goodacre with almost faultless 
produce, but berries a trifle small; second, Mr. Roberts, Gunners- 
