25G 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ September 16, 1E86 
which the next crop depends, or create inconvenience to the plants 
or other matters below. But they should not be allowed this 
liberty long-—not above three weeks ; they should then be closely 
pinched, or, indeed, pruned away if the trees are manifestly inclin¬ 
ing fast to a state of rest. 
CALOCHORTUS (CYCLOBOTHRA) PULCHELLUS. 
Altogether there are perhaps between twenty and thirty species 
of Calochorti known to botanists, though probably not more than a half 
of these have ever been in cultivation, and at the present time, unless in 
specially sheltered districts, half a dozen would include all those grown. 
Most of them seem to require special treatment and care during winter, 
a3 it is at this season that the bulbs seem to suffer most. The want of 
sufficient sun heat during summer, so as to thoroughly ripen the bulbs, no 
doubt renders them less capable of standing our ever-changing seasons, 
and a choice of position will go a long way towards success. A sunny 
south border, if at disposal, will suit them better than any other, well 
drained, and with a good slope to the front. The soil should be light and 
rich, free of decaying material, such as leaf mould, &c., and the bulbs 
planted ft good 6 inches beneath the surface. C. pulchellus, along with 
C. albus, a charming species with white flowers, which we have seen 
growing well nestling close to a south wall, belong to a group by them¬ 
selves, characterised by the flowers being sub-globose, with concave petals, 
nodding stem, usually tall and branching, and by which they are readily 
distinguished from all other members of the genus. The flowers never 
fully open, and though less brilliant in the markings than some of their 
brethren, they are also less fugitive, and in consequence more useful as 
cut flowers. C. pulchellus was first introduced by Douglas about 1830 
when travelling for the Horticultural Society, and originally described by 
Bentbam about fifty years ago in the Transactions as Cyclobothra pul- 
chella. C. flava, “Lai. Bot. Register,” sub. t. 1662. C. lutea, “Lai. 
B. R.” 1663. C. barbata, Sweet, “Flower Garden,” t. 273. The 
characters which originally distinguished Calocbortus from Cyclobothra 
have been found in later introductions to slide into one another in such a 
way that it is not considered worth while to keep them distinct, and is 
oertainly much easier for growers. The stem is somewhat flexuous, with 
much-spreading branches from 1 to 2 feet in height, the bracts narrow, 
lanceolate, exceeding the flowers ; sepals yellowish or green, shorter than 
the petals. The latter are bright yellow or orange, sparingly sprinkled 
with short stiff yellow hairs, which are also seen distinctly on the edges 
in the form of a fringe ; flowers always drooping or nodding ; flowering 
in early summer. Confined exclusively in their distribution to California, 
British Columbia, Mexico, and the Rocky Mountains.—M. 
DRESSING CHRYSANTHEMUM BLOOMS. 
Your correspondent, Mr. E. Molyneux, iu giving his experience on 
dressing Chry.-anthemum blooms, on page 224, says much has been 
written against dressing of the blooms. He also says undressed blooms 
stand no chance against dressed blooms ; but may I ask why the judges at 
the R >yal Aquarium last November gave the first prize in the class for 
twelve incurved blooms to undressed examples when there were some 
good stands of well-dressed blooms 1 Why not have a class for dressed 
blooms and a class for undressed blooms ? If you will insert, this for your 
correspondent to see I shall esteem it a great favour.—W. M, 
HORTICULTURAL SHOWS. 
ROYAL CALEDONIAN SOCIETY’S SHOW. 
This was held in the Waverley Market, Edinburgh, on the 7th and 8th 
inst. We thought the amount of produce staged was baldly equal to what 
we have previously seen at the autumn shows of this Society. Plants 
certainly were not so numerous, and the fact of only tin ee exhibitors staging 
for the big collection of fruit, whilst hardy frui's, such as Apples and Pears, 
were not in such abundance as in some seasons, militated greatly against 
the appearance of the fruit section. Vegetables, however, were both 
numerously and well shown, and the florist flower department fairly held its 
own, Hollyhocks being quite a feature of the Exhibition. 
As fruit holds the first place in the schedule we may very well take it 
first in our report. First on the list is a collection of twelve sortB, and here 
Mr. Mclndoe, Hutton Hall, Guisborough, Yorks, was first, having fair Gros 
Maroc, Black Hamburgh, fine Duke of Buccleuch and Trebbiano Grapes, 
two fairly good Pine Apples, good Galande Peaches, a couple of Melons, 
Figs, and good Humboldt Nectarines. Mr. Murray, gardener 10 the Marquis 
of Ailsa, Culzean Castle, May bole, was a close second, notably good being 
his Bucklaud Sweetwater Grapes, good Galande Peaches, and extra fine 
Castle Kennedy Figs. Mr. Morrison, gardener to Miss Nisbet-Hamilton, 
Archerfield, Drem, third. Eight exhibitors st iged in the class for eight dishes, 
and here Mr. M'Kelvie, gardener to the Dowager Duchess of Roxburehe, 
had the premier prize, Grapes being good—Black Hamburgh, and small 
but well-finished clusters of Buckland Sweetwater, good Grosse Mignonne 
and Noblesse Peaches, Elruge Nectarine, Figs, Plums, and Melon. The 
second prDe went to Mr. Day, Galloway House, Gar lieston, his best dish 
being Alicante Grapes, others only moderately good. Mr. MKinnon, 
gardener to Viscount Melville, Melville Castle, Lasswade, was third, the 
Peaches and Nectarines in this collection being particularly fine. 
For a collection of ten sorts of hardy fruits, grown out of doors, Mr. L. 
Dow, gardener to Sir David Baird, Bart., Newbyth, Prestonkirk, was first with 
a fair lot, consisting of Noblesse and Stirling CaBtle Peaches, Elruge 
N ctarines, Breda and Moorpark Apricots, Jargonelle P. ars, Moiello 
Cherries, and two varieties of Plums. Mr. McIntyre, Woodside, Darlington, 
and Mr. Day, Galloway House, took second and third prizes in the order 
named. For twelve dishes of orchard house fruit, at least six sorts, Mr. 
Hunter, gardener to Earl of Durham, Lambton Castle, Fence Houses, 
Durham, was first with six dishes of Pears, large, but not quite ripe, three 
dishes of Apples, and a dish each of Nectarines and Plums. Mr. Melville 
gardener to Hon. Mrs. Dalrymple,Elliston, St. Boswells, second, with a finer 
lot of fruit, and Mr. Bowman, Lasswade, third. 
We come next to the Grapes, and found the white sorts generally 
unfinished, though in other respects fine. For twelvebunches, six white and 
six black, Mr. McKelvie took the first place, having beautifully finished 
Muscat of Alexandria, fine Buckland Sweetwater, and Raisin de Calabrie, 
f >r white; and very fine Gros Maroc, Kempsey Alicante, and Muscat 
Hamburgh, for black. Mr. Boyd, gardener to T. Forbes, Esq., Callander Park, 
Falkirk, was second with very fine Golden Hamburgh, ext ra good Black Ham¬ 
burgh, fine Muscat Hamburgh, and large Mrs. Pearson. Mr. Hunter. Lambton, 
third with very large bunches of Gros Guillaume and Alicante, Canon Hall 
and Muscat of Alexandria, also large but unripe. Mr. Murray, Parkhall, 
Polmont, in the same class, had very noteworthy Gros Maroc, Alicante and 
Alnwick Seedling ; Mr. Hammond, Brayton, and Mr. Murray, Culzean, also 
showed good Grapes. For eight bunches Mr. Boyd secured the first posi¬ 
tion with grand Alicante, Alnwick Seedling, extra fine ; Madresfield Court 
and Muscat Hamburgh, with Muscat of Alexandria not quite ripe. Mr. 
McKelvie was a good second, his Muscat being again superb iu condition, and 
Mr. Murray this time third, Messrs. Hunter and Hammond also showing. 
Again Mr. Boyd was first, with four bunches, showing superbly finished Black 
Hamburgh, Muscat Hamburgh, Alicante, and Alnwuk Seedling. Tne 
second prize fell to Mr. McHattie, gardener to Marquis of Lothian, New- 
battle Abbey, Dalkeith ; Mr. Hammond being third, and four exhibitors 
were left out in the cold, much of the fruit wanting in finish. 
For two bunches of Muscat of Alexandria, Mr. McKelvie was first with 
magnificently finished golden clusters, and Mr. Day s cond with large but 
unfinished fruit. Mr. Boyd had the best two Black Hamburghs, medium 
as to size, but well finished, Mr. Murray, Culzean, being second. The single 
bunches of Muscat of Alexandria were in each case ureen, Mr. Potter, White 
Hall, Carlisle, having the best. Black Hamburghs were also g• ne'-ally poor 
in finish, Mr. Collins, Walkerburn, Peebles, having th- best single bunch. 
Alicantes were good, Mr. Wilson, Kingsknowe, Galashiels, being first with 
a 4 lbs. cluster, and Mr. Caldwell, Ashley Bank, Langholm, second. Mr. 
Murray, Culzean, took first with a very fair sample of Alnwick Seedling; 
Mr. Murray, Parkhall, second with larger, but much rubbed bunches. 
For Gros Colman, Mr. Jeffrey, gardener to R. Pringle, Esq., Craigclemp, 
Langholm, was first with a fine 2 lbs. buuch ; Mr. Murray, Culzean, a very 
close second. For Lady Downe’s, Mr. Murray, Parkhall, was first, and Mr. 
McKelvie second, both good. For the best of any sort of black, Mr. McKelvie, 
with a well finished Gros Maroc, was first, and in the corresponding class 
for white, Mr. Ramsay, gardener, Fordell, Inverkething, took first with 
very fine Chasselas Napoleon, Mr. McKelvie second with good Duke of Boc- 
cleuch. The finest flavoured black was Muscat Hamburgh ; of white 
Duchess of Buccleuch, and the finest bloom Alicante was from Mr. Boyd. 
Very few Pine Apples were shown, the best Queen being fiorn Mr. 
Ramsay, and Mr. Mclndoe second ; and the best Smooth Cayenne from Mr. 
McIntyre, The Glen, Peeblrs. who also had the best two varieties. Melons 
were not numerous, Mr. Dow being first for green-fleshed, and Mr. Mclndoe 
for scarlet fleshed sorts. Six dishes of very good Figs were shown, the best 
bring from Mr. McIntyre, The Glen. 
Of Peaches there were nine dishes, Mr. McLeod, gardener to J. Smith, 
Esq., Breutham Park, Stirling, being fi-ft with very beautiful examples of 
Lord Palmerston. Mr. J. Harkness, Broadmeadows, Berwick-on-Tweed, 
had the best Nectarines, medium-sized Pitmaston Orange. The best Apricots 
