60 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ July 21, 1887. 
Millbank, was easily first, having among other plants a good Dracophyllum 
f racile, Erica Paxtoniana, and Clerodendron Balfourianum; second, Mr. 
all, Canaan House, Edinburgh. With foliage plants, distinct species, there 
were three entries in this class, Mr. Grossart obtaining first, a good Kentia 
Forsteriana, Croton Evansianus, being the most noteworthy plants ; Mr. W. 
Bennett, Hanley Lodge, Corstorphine, second. Mr. McKinnon, gardener to 
Viscount Melville, Melville Castle, took first for three foliage plants, a good 
DaBylirion being worthy of note ; Mr. Grieve, gardener to Miss Falconer, 
Falcon Hall, showing the best Cycas. 
There was nothing very remarkable among the Orchids. For four 
Orchids, distinct species, there were two entries, Mr. Grossart being first 
with two Cattleyas, Cypripedium Lawrencianum and Phalienopsis amabilis. 
Mr. A. Findlay, gardener to Jas. M'Kelvi", E-q., 14, Osborne Terrace, second 
with Vanda suavis, V. limbata, Dendrobium suavissimum, andEpidendrum 
vitellinum. For two Orchids, distinct species, Mr. John Patterson, Mill- 
bank, was first, and for one Orchid, Mr. M'Intyre, The Glen, Innerleithen, 
was first with a good piece of Odontoglossum vexillarium, Mr. R. Cockburn 
being second with a good plant of Cattleya Mossiae. Of four Cape Heaths, 
distinct varieties, Mr. John Patterson was the only exhibitor of these, and 
be took first prize with good examples of Ericas tricolor Wilsoni, Vernoni, 
Aitoniana, and jubata rub-a. The same exhibitor was first for one Heath, 
Mr. M'Kinnon being second. 
Ferns were not numerous, but what there were were good. For four 
exotic Ferns, distinct species, exclusive of Adiantums and Gleichenias, Mr. 
Grossart was first, staging a very large example of Microlepia hirta cristata, 
Phlebodium aureum, Davallia fijiensis plumosa, and Davallia Mooreana. 
Mr. J. Forbes, gardener to P. Neil Fraser,Esq , Murrayfield, was a very good 
second, his plants being equally fresh and well grown, but of a smaller size ; 
Mr. M‘Kinnon, Melville Castle, third. Mr. Grossart also was first for three 
Adiantums. For eight British Ferns some remarkable specimens were 
exhibited by Mr. John Cumming, gardener to Dr. Caton, St. Rogue; 
especially beautiful and well grown were the examples of Athyrium Filix- 
fcemina Victorias, A. todeoides a most lovely species, and A. pulcherrimum. 
Mr. John Leyden, White Hill, in the second prize lot had also some good 
examples. In the ten dwaif species, for which Mr. Anderson, Pilrig 
Buildings, Edinburgh, was awarded the first prize, were healthy little plants 
of Asplenium septentrionale, A. germanicum, and Blechnum. Mr. John 
Cumming had the best Pelargoniums of the decorative section, the best 
^onals being staged by Miss Dickson, Morelands, Mr. Patterson the finest 
Caladiums, Mr. Grossart the best Crotons and Dracaenas. 
Nurserymen’s Classes. 
Plants.— The chief prize offered to nurserymen was for a table of plants, 
40 feet by 10 feet, for effect. In this class there was only one entry. A 
very fine table of plants was put up by Messrs. R. B. Laird & Sons, to which 
the first prize was awarded. The principal plants were well coloured 
Crotons and Dracienas, the groundwork being made up of Maidenhair 
Ferns, with an edging of Ficus repens, Panicum, Caladium argyrites, and 
other varieties with small leaves. The prizes for twelve Conifer® were 
divided between the Lawson Company, and Messrs. Dicksons & Sons, 
Edinburgh, the former receiving the first, and the latter the second prize. 
Messrs. R. B. Laird & Sons had the best Tree Ferns, Palms, six Dracaenas, 
twelve table plants, and also table plants in flower. For a collection of 
alpine and herbaceous plants in flower, not less than fifty distinct species, 
Mr. Robertson, Munro, Portobello, was the only exhibitor, and obtained 
the first prize for a very large collection of the newer and older sorts. Among 
the many things exhibited was a plant of a double Matricaria, named Snow¬ 
flake, a decided improvement on the commoner form, a plant of which was 
also staged. Messrs. R. B. Laird & Sons were the sole entrants for a collec¬ 
tion of cut flowers of stove and greenhouse plants, and were awarded first 
prize for a meritorious stand.“Mr. A. Irvine, Tighnabnich, was first, and 
Mr. Sutherland second respectively for twenty-four Show and twenty-four 
Fancy Pansies, the blooms being in each case fresh and large. Messrs. 
R. B. Laird & Sans had the best Violas in bunches, and Messrs. J. Cocker 
and Sons, Aberdeen, the bunch of Pansies. 
Class 3.— Fruit (open to all). —For a collection of eight dishes of 
fruit, two dishes of Grapes, and one dish of each other kind, first F4, 
second M2, and third £1, were offered as prizes. There were five collections 
staged, the first and second prize lots being very good. The first prize was 
awarded to Mr. Mclndoe, Hutton Hall, Guisborough, who Bhowed very fine 
full bunches of Black Hamburgh Grapes, Duchess of Buccleuch Grape. 
Smooth-leaved Cayenne Pine Apple, Negro Largo Figs, Best of All Melon’, 
Royal George Peaches, Pitmaston Orange Nectarine, and Jefferson Plums. 
Mr. A. Young, gardener to the Marquis of Breadalbane, Taymouth Castle, 
was a good second, showing fine Alicante Grapes, James Veitch Straw¬ 
berries of enormous size, and very good Peaches and Strawberries ; Mr. 
McIntyre, gardener to Sir Charles Tennant, The Glen, Peebleshire, third 
with fairly good Grapes, very good Pine Apples, &c. Mr. McKelvie, Brox- 
mouth Park, Dunbar, showed good clusters of Muscat of Alexandria in the 
collection he staged. Five Pine Apples were shown, the best being an 
.extra fine Queen from Mr. McIntyre; Mr. Mclndoe second with a good 
example of Charlotte Rothschild; and Mr. Morrison, Arcberfield, Drem, 
-third. In the class for four bunches Grapes, two black and two white, 
'there were five exhibitors. Mr. McHattie, gardener to the Marquis of 
Lothian, Newbattle Abbey, Dalkeith, wa3 first with fairly well ripened 
clusters of Muscat of Alexandria, and large and fine Black Hamburgh of 
4 to 6 lbs. each ; Mr. Mclndoe second, and Mr. James Hogarth, Stranraer, 
ihird. Mr. McHattie was again first for two bunches Black Hamburgh 
Grapes in a well filled class of ten competitors. The bunches were well 
finished, large in berry, and of about 3 lbs. weight each. Mr. McKinnon 
Melville Castle, second, and Mr. Hogarth third. For two bunches of a 
black variety, Mr. Mclndoe was first with good Madresfield Court in fine 
condition; Mr. McIntyre, Woodside, Darlington, second with Alnwick 
Seedling, and Mr. McKinnon third with Madresfield Court. Two, white, 
any variety.—First, J. W. Machattie, Newbattle, with very fine Muscat of 
Alexandria ; second, Mr. W. Wilson, Galashiels, with fairly good Buckland 
Sweetwater; and third, Mr. P. McTavish, Airthrey Castle, Stirling, with 
Muscat of Alexandria. For six Peaches, eleven lots shown, Mr. McKinnon 
' was first with large and fine Royal George ; Mr. McHattie second with 
nearly as fine Early York. There were eight dishes of Nectarines, Mr. 
McHattie having extra finely coloured and large examples of Lord Napier, 
and Mr. Young smnller but fine Elruge. Mr. McIntyre with fine Brown 
Turkey Fiss had first for these, Mr. Mclndoe second with good Negro Largo. 
The best Melon in a class of ten fruits was Best of All from Mr. Melville, 
Elliston Gardens, St. Boswells; Mr. Mclndoe second with same sort. The 
best basket of Strawberries were President, from Mr. P. Melville, Fullerton 
House, Ayrshire; James Veitch the variety to which the second prize was 
awarded. Mr. Dow, Newbyth, Prestonkirk, for four dishe3 Strawberries 
took first place with fairly good fruit of President and Marguerite, and large 
Duke of Edinburgh and Garibaldi. 
Class 4.—Vegetables (open to all).—There was an extra large number of 
vegetables shown, and considering the nature of the season through which 
f irdeners have passed, the quality was certainly of a generally high order. 
or the collection of vegetables, six distinct kinds, four prizes presented by 
Messrs. Sutton & Sons, Reading and London, thore were ten entries. Mr. 
Mclndoe secured the first prize with a capital collection, in which Prodigy 
Peas, Veitch’s Early Pink Celery, Hackwood Park Prolific Tomato were 
very good, Onions, Cauliflowers, and Vegetable Marrows being the other 
sorts. Mr. McKelvie, Broxmouth Park, Dunbar, was second, and Mr. King, 
Dalzell House, Motherwell, third. Mr. Mclndoe was also first in the class 
for a dish of twelve Tomatoes, showing very fine Hackwood Park Prolific. 
In a class where ten exhibitors staged, Mr. Bowman, Pittendreich, Lass- 
wade, had the best Cucumber, a fresh brace of Telegraph. The other more 
noteworthy examples of vegetable culture were to be found in the classes 
devoted to Cauliflowers, Peas, Potatoes, Lettuces, and Early Horn Carrots, 
all of which were largely and well shown. 
Among the miscellaneous exhibits the undernoted were the more note¬ 
worthy :—Messrs. Ireland & Thomson, Craigleith Nurseries, Edinburgh, 
contributed a small table of fine-foliage plants, Orchids, &o. Their seedling 
Crotons were especially noticeable, one named Sunray, with long arching 
foliage, bold habit, and of a yellowish orange colour, and Newmanni, with 
medium sized twisted foliage and of alight orange-red tint being especially 
fine. Messrs. J. Methven & Sons, Leith Walk Nurseries, Edinburgh, filled 
one of the large central groups with a mixed group of fine-foliage and 
floweriDg plants, consisting mainly of graceful Palms, well coloured Crotons, 
and decorative Pelargoniums. F’rom the Lawson Seed and Nursery Com¬ 
pany came a group of Coniferous plants and shrubs; Messrs. Dickson 
and Co., Hanover Street, contributing a group of the same class of plants. 
Messrs. Thomson & Sous, Clovenfords, Galashiels, exhibited a curious form 
of Cattleya Gaskelliana, to which they have given the specific name of 
Striata, from the two lower sepals having the identical appearance of the 
lip halved up the centre. Messrs. Dobbie &. Co., Rothesay, exhibited 
examples of their specialities, African Marigolds being large and fine in 
quality. Several dozen blooms of Pansies were also shown, and some blooms 
of new fancy Violas not yet in commerce. Of these we can highly recom¬ 
mend Dawn of Day, Queen of Scots, Goldfinch, and Admiration, especially 
the two latter, as being most interesting novelties. Mr. Irvine, nurseryman, 
Jedburgh, staged very fine Delphinium varieties of his own raising. Of 
these John Duff, Joseph Smith, Nellie Irvine, A. Brownlee, R. Cairns, Annie 
Duff, The Marquis, and Samuel Bigham were the most distinct and good. 
Mrs. Brodie Sherriff, Portobello, showed a group of pottery, including some 
handsome garden vases and flower pots, the latter of fine workmanship and 
apparently much harder than the pots usually produced in potteries in the 
eaBt of Scotland. 
It only remains to be noted that the Council of the Royal Caledonian 
Horticultural Society entertained at dinner the officials, Judges, and some 
exhibitors of the two societies, at which Lord Provost Clark presided. 
NOTES ON BULBS. 
When notions become firmly established it is very difficult to re¬ 
move them, or convince cultivators that they are wrong, even by facts 
that are the outcome of practical experience. Perhaps no erroneous 
idea is more prevalent than the one that Dutch Hyacinths and other 
bulbous plants used for flowering in pots during the spring are not 
worth the labour and trouble of planting after they have done duty in¬ 
doors. It would be difficult to trace the origin of such an idea, or the 
reason that has led to such a general opinion, but it is easy to prove 
that it has no foundation in fact, and is more than likely due to inex¬ 
perience in the culture of bulbs. In a few soils Hyacinths, Tulips, 
Narcissus, and others may degenerate year by year, but in the majority 
they increase in numbers, size, and strength until they will yield 
flowers that cannot be surpassed by the second-class roots imported 
annually, or what may be known as first-class bedding roots. To 
attempt to plant out Roman Hyacinths, Due Van Thol Tulips, Paper 
White, and Double Roman Narcissus that can be purchased at such a 
cheap rate would be a waste of time and labour. If they could be 
planted out direct from the forcing house such a step might be taken, 
but the necessary preservation needed to develope their growth and 
harden it to withstand the trying weather of early spring would prove a 
severe tax upon those with limited house or frame room at disposal for 
plant cultivation. With very early forced ,bulbs our experience 
has led us to the conclusion that the best course to pursue with them 
is to convey them to the rubbish heap directly they have flowered. 
There are, however, tens of thousands of bulbs that are not forced, 
as they are allowed to come forward gradually and naturally in win¬ 
dows, greenhouses, cold frames, and similar positions. The majority of 
growers have bulbs of one sort or another in this condition, and if they 
are preserved after flowering as will be detailed they will with certainty 
increase in numbers and yield very fine spikes. The greenhouse is fre¬ 
quently robbed to ornament the dinner table and dwelling-room when 
the flowers could be gathered from outside beds and borders if care and 
a little forethought were exercised. 
When the bulbs have been brought into flower under moderately cool 
conditions, a few days, or a week at most, in a cold frame is ample to 
harden them sufficiently to stand in a sheltered corner outside. From 
