256 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ September is, isso. 
tlie quantity of all fruits with the exception of Grapes, while the 
quality was, with the exception of Peaches, below the average. A 
new feature, introduced for the first time this year, was the collec¬ 
tions of Potatoes, no fewer than forty-one entries for the two collec¬ 
tions being received. These, added to the large entries for other 
vegetables, made this portion of the Show a greater success than it 
has ever been, well as the vegetable classes are generally filled. Cut 
flower classes were the poorest, very few of the entries being up to 
the average. 
The most noteworthy groups were the nurserymen’s collections, 
the hardy ornamental shrubs arranged at the west end of the market 
by the Lawson Seed and Nursery Company; their central group of 
stove and greenhouse plants having a carpeting of small decorative 
plants arranged beneath tall Dracaenas, Phormiums, Palms, and 
Lilies, and the two groups of Todea pellucida and T. superba placed 
in two rows round a fine standard Sweet Bay. Messrs. Ireland and 
Thomson filled a large table with a group of plants by far the finest 
and most attractive in the Exhibition. The centre of their arrange¬ 
ment consisted of large Palms, Tree Ferns and specimen Crotons, 
large specimens of Tuberous Begonias, of which Acme, Souvenir de 
Louis Van Houtte, Lucien Pencelle, Vesuvius, Brilliant, and Kallista 
were amongst the finest varieties ; Crotons, Bertolonias, Dracaenas, 
and other fine-foliaged plants were freely employed. On a smaller 
table the same firm staged some of the newest fine-foliaged plants. 
Particularly attractive were Dracaena Smithii, Croton Archbaldi with 
long drooping leaves and well coloured ; C. Warreni with curiously 
twisted foliage ; C. Weismanni superba, more yellow than the old form. 
Phyllotenium Lindeni and Anthurium Veitchii were also represented 
by large plants. Messrs. Downie & Laird had some large specimen 
Palms, Lilies, good plants of Bouvardia Humboldti corymbiflora, Rho¬ 
dodendron Duchess of Edinburgh, and several stands of cut flowers. 
Of these the best were six dozen Dahlias, late Phloxes, and a grand 
collection of Pentstemons. They also staged a collection of bedding 
Violas and Pansies. On the next table Messrs. Methven had a large 
group of fine-foliaged plants, chiefly Palms and Ferns, lightened by 
some good spikes of Gladioli and cut blooms of Duke of Wellington 
Carnation, which were intermixed with the dwarfer plants. Messrs. 
Dickson & Co.’s table was devoid of colour to a great extent, some 
blooms of their new cutting Pinks and Carnations and the new double 
Camomile being the only flowers employed. Messrs. Todd & Co. had 
a large dessert table arranged with fruit and flowers, which attracted 
considerable attention. From the Royal Botanic Gardens Mr. Sadler 
furnished a table of vegetable curiosities, consisting of Nepenthes, 
Droseras, Dionreas, Darlingtonias, the Lattice-leaf plant, a fine potful 
of Senecio speciosus, and the curious Oxalis sensitiva. 
Turning to the competition, and taking the most popular section 
first—the fruit, as previously noted, the general amount was below 
the average of the last few years. For the collection of twelve varie¬ 
ties of fruit only two exhibitors staged. Mrs. Pease, Hutton Hall, 
Guisborough (Mr. Mclndoe), being first with Grapes Duke of Buc- 
cleuch, Foster’s Seedling, Black Hamburgh, and Gros Guillaume ; 
Melons Rosebery, Topping, and Marcellus ; Pine Apples Queen and 
Smooth Cayenne ; Peaches Walburton Admirable and Princess of 
Wales, both extra fine ; and two dishes of Figs. C. Tennant, Esq., M.P., 
The Glen (Mr. McIntyre), was the other exhibitor, and was placed 
second. For eight kinds of fruit there were again only two exhibitors 
—the Dowager Duchess of Athole, Dunkeld (Mr. Fairgrieve), and the 
Dowager Duchess of Roxburghe, Broxmouth Park, Dunbar (Mr. 
McKelvie). Mr. Fairgrieve was also first for a collection of hardy 
fruits, in which were some good dishes of Plums. Grapes were very 
numerously shown, something like 170 bunches being staged alto¬ 
gether. The chief prizes were for twelve bunches, six black and six 
white. Four lots were staged in this class, none of them being up to the 
usual form seen at Edinburgh. Sir Wilfred Lawson, Bart., M.P., 
Brayton Hall, Carlisle (Mr. Hammond), occupied the first position 
with four good Black Alicantes, two of Mrs. Pince, and six unfinished 
bunches of Muscat of Alexandria ; Mr. McIntyre being second, and 
Mr. Mclndoe third. For eight bunches five competitors entered. Mr. 
McKelvie was first here with two very fine examples each of Ali¬ 
cante and Gros Colman, two good Black Hamburghs, and two large 
clusters of Muscat of Alexandria ; the Earl of Strathmore, Glamis 
(Mr. Johnston), being second, and Mr. Hammond third. Mr. Ham¬ 
mond was again first with four bunches with Gros Colman, Golden 
Queen, Muscat of Alexandria, and Alicante. In the classes devoted 
to one kind of Grape, the pair of Muscats from Glamis, the two 
Black Hamburghs from Mr, Boyd, Callander Park, Falkirk, the 
single bunch of the same sort from Mr. Boyd, and the Gros Colman 
from Mr. McKelvie, and the Duke of Buccleuch from Messrs. Thom¬ 
son, Clovenfords, were all especially fine. Only three of four Pine 
Apples were shown, Mr. McIntyre being first both for Queens and 
Smooth Cayenne, also for any other sort. Peaches were finely shown, 
the first-prize twelve of Walburton Admirable from Mr. Smith, Brent- 
ham Park, Stirling, being particularly fine. 
In the several plant classes some fine specimens were staged. The 
six stove or greenhouse plants, three stove or greenhouse plants, and 
three Heaths from Mr. Paterson, Millbank ; the foliage plants, Palms, 
Ferns, and table of plants from Mr. Hammond ; the Fuchsias from 
Mr. Walker, Rosehall, were all particularly good. With the excep¬ 
tion of Dahlias from Messrs. Downie & Laird, Hollyhocks from Mr. 
Forbes, Hawick, and Quilled Asters from Mr. Taylor, Inveresk, this 
section was poorly represented. In the vegetable section the chief 
interest was in the collections of Potatoes, prizes being offered for 
eighteen and twelve dishes of twelve each. Mr. Reid, Mid-Sanquhar, 
Ayrshire, was fairly first for both collections, though a considerable 
amount of dissatisfaction was expressed concerning other awards. 
There were twelve entries for a collection of twelve sorts of vege¬ 
tables, Mr. Brown being first with a fine collection. The entries for 
dishes of Onions, Cauliflowers, Leeks, itc., were numerous, and the 
quality generally good. 
MILDEW. 
This destructive pest which affects Vines is much dreaded by 
cultivators, and its work of destruction is quick and complete if 
allowed to go unchecked for a very short time. It is not surpris¬ 
ing that its appearance in a vinery is startling to those in charge, 
and how to check its ravages without injury to the crop of fruit 
is almost bewildering. 'The opinions as to the cause of the de¬ 
velopment and the best mode of disposing of it with the least 
damage to the crop are numerous ; but so far I have not seen any 
very satisfactory suggestion on the subject, nor directly pointing 
to what I believe to be the real cause or causes. The supposed 
cause is a close stagnant atmosphere, which is considered favour¬ 
able to the growth of fungi, and the present remedy is sulphur 
and a warm dry atmosphere. Tbe sulphur is first applied to the 
pipes, and these heated until the atmosphere of the house is 
charged with the fumes, and if this does not destroy the mildew 
suiphur is applied in many ways ; for instance, syringing the Vines 
with it mixed with water, and dusting both the leaves and the 
bunches, but this quite spoils the appearance of the Grapes. I do 
not douht that sulphur will quickly turn it black and for the time 
being destroy it. It is really necessary before trying to check the 
disease, if I am justified in so calling it, to ascertain if possible the 
cause or causes which have been the means of bringing it into 
existence. What would be the good of sulphur applied in various 
ways, or the atmosphere kept dry and warm, if dryness of the soil 
at the roots was the cause of its existence 1 and I am thoroughly 
convinced that this is one of the chief causes of mildew. It is 
more prevalent during hot dry summers, especially when Vines 
have abundance of drainage, and in a light sandy soil more so 
than when the soil is of a heavier texture. When the disease 
appears under these conditions the drier the border and atmo¬ 
sphere are kept the faster the mildew spreads. When first noticed 
the border should be carefully examined, and if it is dry it should 
have a thorough supply of water. No sulphur will then be needed 
—the water is all that is required to check it. In a vinery here 
early in the season of 1879 the end Vine in an inside border was 
attacked by mildew. I examined the border and found it satis¬ 
factory, except the end, which to my surprise was very dry. A 
good supply of water was at once given, but instead of soaking 
into the border it passed to the end wall and through the bricks. 
Means were at once taken to prevent this ; the border was well 
watered, and the mildew disappeared. Again, a sudden check to 
Vines by opening the house hy ventilating too extensively or by 
discontinuing the fire heat impedes the progress of the Vines and 
predisposes them to disease. Watering in this case would be useless, 
and only add to the ravages of the pest. A warmer atmosphere 
would require to be maintained, and under these conditions sulphur 
placed upon the pipes would prove beneficial. 
From careful observations for some time past I am convinced 
that mildew can be produced by cultivators, and that it can be 
also prevented by them. It would be useless to argue that 
mildew is only caused by the two conditions mentioned, for any 
cause which will check the Vine or induce a diseased condition of 
the tissues will give rise to mildew. On this point I shall at a 
future time point out two striking examples that have come 
directly under my notice to further prove that many causes, some 
of them perhaps at present unthought of, will cause mildew, and 
that its thorough eradication is impossible without the adoption 
of the severest measures. 
Whether the mildew that attacks the Rose and the Peach is 
identical with that which infests Vines I am unable to say, but 
this I know, that they can be produced by similar causes. Roses 
are much subject to^ it, yet it is surprising in spite of this, if due 
precaution is taken and the minute details of forcing carefully 
and practically carried out, it can to a large extent be prevented. 
Dryness is also favourable to the development of mildew on the 
Rose. Cold draughts admitted to the tender foliage in the early 
season soon cause it, and perhaps nothing is more striking than 
when forcing is attempted and the plants have not had their 
proper season of rest. They start into a puny growth and are 
overwhelmed by this disease. Hard forcing also soon gives rise 
to it. But if these are guarded against, very little mildew will 
trouble cultivators when forcing Boses, especially if the soft-soap 
system is carried out, which has been fully detailed in the Journal. 
