September 2, 1886. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GA'iOENER. 
201 
them, leave them so for about a week, and I feel certain you will 
succeed splendidly in—not growing Roses. 
Now when you have decided when and where to plant your 
Roses, be cai-eful to attend to the following instructions:—Dig a 
small hole, deep, and stick in the roots anyhow; if the plants are 
a few inches deeper in the soil than they appear to have been 
previously, no matter—all the better for your purpose, in fact. 
Do not mind cutting out any suckers or eyes in the stocks, as 
these may be the only growths you will get, and a good Briar is 
better than nothing. Besides, you may go in for budding some 
day, when they would come in useful. Replace the soil over the 
roots, tramping it down a little, but not too much, as it is gene¬ 
rally believed that plants grow better when planted firmly. Do 
not tie the plants to stakes if they are tall, say standards (your 
amateur always begins with standards—and soon leaves olf with 
them), as plmtswhen blown about by the wind cannot make 
roots or attach themselves to the soil; otherwise they might 
grow, and so disappoint you in your endeavours not to grow 
Roses. If you have any hot manure, a little placed in the 
bottom of each hole for the roots to stand in will assist very 
much in killing the plants, and so crown your efforts. 
Notwithstanding all your care and attention in carrying out 
these instructions some of the plants may grow, perhaps half of 
them, perhaps one only. This will probably be some poor Gloire 
de Dijon, the variety in question seeming to bear a charmed life, 
and blooming under the most depressing circumstances, under 
which any other variety would quickly succumb. Speaking of 
Gloire de Dijon reminds me that a friend told me that he on 
one occasion bought a dozen standard Roses (observe, always 
standards for beginners), all different, and warranted true to 
name. When the survivors flowered only seven of them turned 
out to be Gloire de Dijon. 
Well, do not be disheartened if your plants do grow. I can 
promise you that you will not be troubled to carry home the 
first prize for Roses at your local flower show if the blooms are 
cut from these plants; and although they grow the following 
summer after being planted, in the winter that follows that 
summer “Death will close the painful scene,” and you will 
begin again perhaps a sadder and wiser man—sadder, when 
thinking of the money and time you have lost; and wiser, if you 
resolve that in your next venture you will seek advice from 
those who are competent and willing to give it, remembering 
always that “Failure is the surest foundation of success.” 
I intended to stop here, but the thought struck me that I had 
said either too much or not enough. There are hundreds of 
struggling amateurs, good gardeners, who have not the time to 
go to nurseries to pick out the plants they want. There are 
hundreds of others who are not gardeners at all, who just want 
a dozen or so to plant in the garden for effect. Both these 
classes prefer to go to the sales and take their chance. We i, 
for the comfort of these people I will say that 1 have seen 
good plants sold at sales, and cheap too, and I believe that if 
properly treated and promptly (the treatment consists of wetting 
the roots at once and keeping them wet until planted) that they 
may be all got to grow and do well, providing the life is not 
quite extinct before they can be attended to. 
The quicker transplanting is done the better, there can be no 
two opinions on that question, and delay in this, as in other 
matters, is dangerous.—D. Gilmour, Jun. 
WOOD RIPENING AND FRUIT TREE PRUNING. 
“A Thinker” in his eighth, ninth, and tenth paragraphs, on page 
153, states some practical truths of great importance to gardeners. In 
those three paragraphs lies the gist of successful fruit culture—successful 
in quantity, and successful in quality under glass or out of doors. There 
is little doubt that annually in this country there are tons of fruiting 
woodcut out of fruit trees wrongfully and unnecessarily. It is tio fre¬ 
quently the case that the very best bearing wool is cut away, and the 
weakest and most immature retained. Then, again, as “Thinker” states, 
summer pruning is very often done too late. If the breastwood is 
shortened or removed in June, as it should be, so that the summer sun 
and air may have effect upon the wood to be left for next year, it will 
also require to be done again in August, when the autumn sud will com¬ 
plete its fructifying work. Only as much wood should be left in any 
fruit-bearing tree as will allow the free access of sun and air to every 
part of it. I take that to be the rule for pruning in successful fruit 
culture, and what is removed should he removed as early in the season 
as possible, and not in the winter.—J. Udale, El ford, Tamivorth. 
NOTES ON THE EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL 
EXHIBITION. 
There is much to interest anyone connected with horticulture at the 
very successful Exhibition which Edinburgh has to boast of this year, and 
at the date of my visit (August 24th) there were some special attractions 
to the h< rliculturist in the way of cut flowers and grasses, which were 
displayed in the Grand Hall. 
The Directors have from time to time provided floral displays, and they 
have undoubtedly added to the attractions of the place. These displays 
are to be continued at intervals during the remaining months that the 
Exhibition is to be open. Messrs. J. Cocker k Sons, Aberdeen, sent a good 
collection of Roses, beautifully set up so as to form a bank of cut blooms 
mingled with Maidenhair Ferns, the general effect being extremely 
pleasing from a short distance, and a closer inspection was rewarded by a 
sight of splendid individual flowers of such varieties as Alfred Colomb, 
Merveille de Lyon, A. K. Williams, Baroness de Rothschild, &c. The 
Roaes and Ferns filled one side of a long table, and the other side was 
occupied with a fine collection of herbaceous flowers, the whole table 
f >rming a display that gave evident pleasure to thousands of visitors. 
Messrs. Dobie & Co. (Rothesay) Laird & Sons, and John Lamont & Sons 
(Edinburgh) exhibited Pansies, Dahlias, Marigolds, Carnations, &c., and 
they contributed materially to the attractiveness of the Exhibition. 
Messrs. William Thomson & Sons, Clovenfords, Galashiels, showed a 
basket containing about 12 lbs. of that fine Grape the Duke of Bueeleucb, 
and the noble appearance presented by it was such as to attract crowds 
round it and to call forth expressions of wonder at the enormous size of 
the berries. This Grape, though not successfully grown by many people, 
is undoubtedly a grand variety and fit “ to set before a king,” or a queen 
either. I believe that such indeed was done with it lately, as most of 
your readers would notice in your issue of August 26th. Messrs. Thomson 
aud Sons also appear among the general body of exhibitors, having a stall 
in the grand Central Court, on which they show samples of their improved 
Vine and plant manure—a composition founded on long experience and 
successful practice, and largely used by the gardening community. 
A number of horticultural builders exhibited specimens of their 
workmanship in the grounds outside the Exhibition. Amongst these I 
noted a very light conservatory and some useful greenhouses by Messrs. 
McKenzie & Moncur; others by Messrs. D. Lowe k Sons. Edinbur gh 
who also exhibit the Improved Wrought Welded Colonial Boiler, which, 
appears to be a very good one. A small conservatory shows Pennycouk’s 
patent glazing without putty. Various other exhibits connected with 
horticultural buildings and heating are shown, though it cannot be said 
that there is a very large display. 
The grounds round the Exhibition buildings are well laid out and 
planted with a variety of beautiful shrubs, contributed by the various 
nurserymen in and around Edinburgh. A very pretty rockery is also to 
be seen, which was built and planted by Messrs. Ireland & Thomson, who 
have also a very large collection of fine shrubs in the grounds. They 
show Agave filifera with an enormous flower spike bearing about 2000 
flowers. This plant seldom flowers, I believe. It is certainly more 
curious than beautiful. The general effect of the grounds when lit up is 
very beautiful, and as the evening of my visit was an especially fine one, 
sitting in the grounds listening to the band of the Seaforth Highlanders 
discoursing varied strains of music was extremely enjoyable, and a glance 
round in any direction was rewarded by a fairy scene of many coloured 
lights. 
The Grand Central Court looks very fine when lit up, the whole rocf 
being a mass of lights. A capital view can be obtained from the end next 
the Grand Hall, where, standing on the raised floor of the latter and 
I looking down the great length of the Central Court, the effect is splendid. 
The visit of Her Majesty lately brought many thousands to the Exhibition, 
and no doubt if the Prince and Princess of Wales pay a visit later on 
there will be great numbers to see the Heir Apparent and his consort; but 
independently of the attractions of Royalty, the Exhibition has attained 
success, and there is sufficient to reward anyone tor several days spent in 
its precincts. 
The fine arts are well represented, some 1700 pictures, many of great 
value and beauty, being displayed in the handsome galleries devoted to 
them. Some splendid specimens of the art of carving are to be seen. 
Several sideboards most wonderfully carved, and representing various 
scenes of battle, &c., form conspicuous objects in one of the couits. 
Makers of the various tools used by foresters, gardeners, &c., are to the 
fore with specimens of their manufacture. Ornamental pottery is largely 
shown, and there need be no ugly poti in the dining-room, drawing-room, 
or hall when such beautiful ones can be had, and at very moderate prices. 
The Scottish Arboricultural Society exhibit forestry tools and implements, 
specimens of woods foreign and British, tree seeds, cones, insects inju¬ 
rious to trees, photographs of trees, &e. A very interesting display. 
The growing importance of silos is exemplified by exhibits of models 
of ensilage stacks and Blunt’s patent screw and lever press, by the 
Ensilage Press Company, Leicester. There can be no doubt that as time 
rolls on, and especially if our summers should continue damp and cold, 
silos will continue to increase in numbers and importance until they 
become indispensable adjuncts to most farm». Many samples of jams 
and jellies are shown, and the public are assured that excellence is the 
object aimed at in the making of the same. The culture of fruits for 
preserving is increasing. Proprietors and farmers alike are paying atten¬ 
tion to them with the desire to counterbalance in some degree, however 
small, the low prices obtained for the grain crops of their lands. Pro¬ 
perly attended to there seems little reason for doubting that many 
farmers might benefit themselves by cultivating fruits for preserving. 
Messrs. Sutton & Sons exhibit models of improved vegetables and roots, 
collections of vegetable and farm seeds, and specimens of Grasses and 
Clovers for laying down land in permanent pastures. They also show 
their method of packing seeds for export. 
“ There are endless interesting sights in the Exhibition which may be 
