D csmber 11, 1810. J 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
515 
Marguerite, silvery white, a Chilwell seedling. Dozens of others must 
be passed, and they will continue in beauty till Christmas. Altogether 
the collection is large and choice, most of the varieties being represented 
in their best form, and as Mr. George Bolas says in a letter before me, 
“ it is a treat to see them, and to go round with Pithers, who freely 
tells how the plants are managed.” 
We have yet the fruit and trees to see. As before mentioned the 
fruit Show was in a vinery, and extensive and excellent was the display, 
nearly all the best varieties of Apples and many of Pears being 
admirably represented. In the midlands some of the more popular 
Apples would not be recognised from their names alone by southern 
growers. For instance, the midland name for Devonshire Quarrenden 
is Waterloo Pippin ; Court Pendu Plat is Woolaton Pippin ; King of 
the Pippins is Pike’s Pearmain ; Duchess of Oldenburg is The Russian ; 
Fearn’s Pippin is Clifton Nonesuch ; and Queen Caroline is Spencer’s 
Favourite. The latter, however, Mr. Pearson sa.ys is the true name, as 
this beautiful Apple was raised by a Mr. Spencer in Nottinghamshire. 
Conspicuous in the “Apple show ” is Newton Wonder, of the character of 
Dumelow’s Seedling but larger, better in colour, and decidedly sweeter. 
This variety has been certificated by the Royal Horticultural Society, 
and is probably a coming Apple for the million. New Bess Pool was 
very fine and wholly distinct from the old, and the huge healthy sym¬ 
metrical trees in the orchard suggest that this variety would make 
grand specimens for parks. Bright were the dishes of Lord Lennox, 
a small scarlet Apple of which large heaps may be seen in midland and 
northern markets. It is not a Cox’s Orange Pippin or anything of that 
kind in flavour, but finds favour with the multitude, and the tree is one of 
the best of growers. The new Northern Greening is a Chilwell favourite, 
and the fruits are remarkable for symmetry and weight. Of Braruley’s 
Seediing, too, there were fine dishes, as indeed there were of scores of 
others. But Mr. Pearson, like many others, is firm in the belief that by 
far too many varieties are grown. Therefore he has excluded scores 
from his catalogue, and his short selec'ions are very good. 
Still, we have to see the trees, which involves a drive of some miles 
—at least it would to see them all, and only an hour or two at disposal. 
Off we go with a dash and a splash down dirty lanes and over hummocky 
fields, for Mr. A. H. seems to go the nearest way with his trap, the same 
as when he has a day of hunting. A “ spill,” I thought, must be my 
fate that day, and the only little comfort I had in shaky moments was 
in contemplating the softness of the ground. However, we reached the 
“new fields” safely, and the sight was worth the jolting. Open to all 
the winds that blow are these nursery fields of fruit trees. The soil is 
a free, yellowish, generous loam, and bastard trenched 2 feet deep. 
Either two or three fields, or upwards of 20 acres, were occupied with 
trees in various stages from stocks up to two and three years old, and 
another was in preparation. They are surrounded with a broad gras3 
glade, and cross roads of grass for driving. The lands or stretches are 
set out with exactitude and uniform in size, so that it is easy for the 
owner and his men to tell the number of trees in each. Healthy and 
hardy the trees grow in this good soil and air, and not a speck of mildew 
was to be seen, even on the “ breaks” of Roses. When we see such an 
extension of tree raising as this, and remember others of the same kind 
elsewhere, there i3 no room left for doubt that fruit culture has com¬ 
menced in earnest at last, and that a r-evolution in hardy fruit produc¬ 
tion has fairly set in in this country. Will it continue ? It is bound to 
do so, because thinking persons know very well that if they do not 
plant young trees they will have no chance in the markets, as in a very 
few years’ time the produce of the old and exhausted will not be “ looked 
at ” there ; also the better the samples that are placed before the public 
the greater will be the demand, for the supply of high-class produce 
will create it, as is the case with other commodities. Business people 
do not wait to be asked to produce what is wanted, but provide what 
is good, and in that way tempt, indeed, so to say, compel purchasers. 
So it will be with fruit, and just in proportion as it is good in appear¬ 
ance and quality will the consumption increase, and the best can only 
be had from young trees planted in generous soil. 
We go on to the o'd nursery of 10 acres within walls, but near’y all 
cleared. It is now to rest for a time, and only trees will be grown 
against the walls in the immediate future. Next we drive through the 
old orchards with fatting cattle grazing under the trees, and the herbage 
shows they keep the land fertile. It is here we see the huge and 
symmetrical proportions of both the old and new Bess Pool Apples, the 
latter the finer and more regular bearer, and just the tree for park 
scenery. Suggestive for the same purpose are gigantic trees of the 
“ Beurre Grey” Pear, the foliage of which changes to crimson and gold 
in the autumn. Our r.ext turn is homewards, and we glance at the 
collection of trees for avenues and parks—Elms, Limes, and most other 
trees, thinly planted and cared for, and stop to look at the plantation 
of variegated Yuccas which grow uninjured from year to year, and 
their like is not to be elsewhere seen. On to the station we pass the 
“glass nursery,” and find the road lined with carriages, gigs, wagonettes 
and omnibuses which have brought loads of people to see the Chrys¬ 
anthemums. I now think I have said enough, and after this tormentingly 
long narration cannot hope that Mr. A. H. Pearson will ever again ask 
me to spend a “night at Chilwell.”—A Wanderer. 
EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION. 
This Show is sure to be such an important one that any defects of 
whatever nature are certain to cause a large amount of dissatisfaction 
and disappointment. It may truly be said of the ordinary autumn 
Shows held in Edinburgh, Thither the tribes go up, and the “ Inter¬ 
nationals” seem to gather together alike from “ little Wales,” Ireland, 
England, and auld Scotland' cultivators of every denomination—fruit 
grower, florist, and vegetableman. It does not require one to have much 
of the spirit of the seer to prophesy that the Exhibition of next autumn 
will eclipse any yet held in the capital of Scotland. I do not so particu¬ 
larly refer to the fruit, which will doubtless be in advance, as to other 
sections. The chief plant prizes ought, and surely will, draw not only 
contributions from Glasgow, but probably from Newcastle, Yorkshire, 
and perhaps further south There will be some dozens of collections of 
vegetables, and of che hundreds of single dishes it would be hazardous 
to make a guess how many. Cut flowers are less generously provided 
for, but the entries are sure also to be large and good. 
The remarks made on the fruit classes last week are not totally 
uncalled for, though it is only fair to note that the point of view 
occupied by the compilers of the schedule and by the writer are neces¬ 
sarily somewhat different ; at the same time it must be conceded that 
“haste” is palpable on every page. It would appear as if the Com¬ 
mittee entrusted with the getting out of the prize list had been working 
against time, and no revision made of the proof sheets. It is only 
charitable to hope so. 
Referring to Class 1 and Class 2 I certainly understand it to abso¬ 
lutely reserve the latter class to gardeners and amateurs whose means 
are limited, and who would not feel warranted in entering the lists 
against those whose means of producing Grapes in quantity are, if not 
unlimited, yet of the most ample kind ; however, the necessity of such 
a class is at the present day not very obvious. The wording of the 
collections is at one with several other items—as for instance No. 7, 
which is perfectly explicit; No. 8, which is vague ; and No. 9, which is 
explicit in the superlative degree. 
As to the collection of hardy fruit, I do not think any objection can 
be taken to the wording, nor can 1 see anv difficulty in assuming the 
meaning to be any kind of fruit, such as Figs, Peaches, and Apricots. 
These are all grown in the “ open air,” though a wall is required. In 
Scotland mostly all Pears are grown as wall fruit, and a very large 
number of Apples are similarly cultivated. The great majority of 
Plums and Cherries in the same way have the benefit of a w r all. Tnese 
are all shown at the ordinary autumn exhibitions in the class for a col¬ 
lection of hardy fruit grown in the open air. With regard to the 
collection of Plums, though it will be impossible for cultivators in the 
south of England to show on the same day Coe’s Golden Drop and 
Early Prolific, or White Magnum Bonumand Early Orleans, the majority 
of northern cultivators will not experience much difficulty in doing so. 
The reason for these collections, as well as for the dishes of late ha’f- 
grown Pears and Apples, appears to be the outcome of a wish on the 
part of the “ Caledonian ” to popularise the particular sorts which 
received the greatest number of votes at the Apple Congress in 1833, 
and the Plum Congress in 1889. You will notice they are a’l good, 
Court of Wick Apple being the only one to which exception can be 
taken. At the same time it might have been perhaps as we 1 if the 
Executive had dispensed with the late, and substituted some of the 
newer and better early varieties, many of which will find their way 
into the collections of Pears and Apples. 
I now pass on to points which are not touched upon by your corre¬ 
spondent, who seems to have paid attention alone to the fruit classes. 
But what can anybody make of No. 128, “ Table of Plants, 29 feet by 
5 feet 1” There it stands in all its bald uncertainty. Now in 1889, the 
first prize for a table of plants was awarded to a table which for effect 
should have been third, and in 1890 the second prize was awarded to an 
arrangement which for quality should have been first. The judgment 
in each case was correct, on the assumption that the Judges in 1889 had 
quality mainly in view, and that in 1890 quality occupied quite a 
secondary place. As further examples of indefiniteness, we have 
“Eight Foliage Plants, in pots not exceeding 10 inches,” “Six 
Orchids, in bloom,” “ Three ditto,” and not a single word as to the 
necessity, or otherwise, of distinctness in species or variety ; while 
we have' “ Four Caladiums, distinct,” “Two Crotons, of sorts,” “Four 
Palms, sorts.” In the cut flower section the same indefiniteness pre¬ 
vails. Thus we find “Twelve Cut Roses, sorts,” “Twelve Fancy 
Pansies, distinct var.,” “ Six Spikes Phloxes, named.” These are only 
a few examples. 
Then there is a rule (No. 5) to the effect that “Undue dressing will 
disqualify.” Surely such a rule is without meaning. It is a perfectly 
well understood fact that the exhibitor of whatever kind of flower will 
“dress” it so as to present it in its most attractive form. A large 
amount of the success in growing and exhibiting certain flowers is 
attended by the judicious dressing to which they are subjected. And so 
with vegetables, the best “ dressed ” and most effectively arranged 
collections have a very great advantage over those less judiciously 
handled, and in some degree the same remark applies to fruit. 
While writing I maybe allowed to make a suggestion that the names 
of the Judges should be communicated to the gardening public some 
time before the Show. There are judges who have a preference to well 
finished Muscats, others whose sympathies lean to the side of black 
Grapes. With some the inclusion of fine Grapes and Pine Apples in a 
collection covers all deficiencies in the remaining dishes. We have 
vegetable judges who look upon a collection of vegetables with ey.s 
obscured by the surpassing excellencies of a dish of Leeks or of Onions, 
while a couple of dishes of rough Apples in a collection, if they sre big 
enough, forms theyww.? asinorum of some hardy fruitists. Nor is it any 
uncommon occurrence to find the legitimate single dish varieties set 
