216 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ September 10, 1891; 
southern cultivators compete keen’y for the prize?, and well have 
they all maintained the credit of this district. Defeat in any of 
these classes is certainly not disgrace, as very rarely are exhibitions 
distinguished by such even and close quality. 
Chief interest centred in the classes for collections of fruit, and 
the awards were awaited on Wednesday morning with much eager¬ 
ness. In class 1, twelve dishes, including two Pines, two dishes of 
Grapes, two Melons, and six other kinds of fruit, there are four 
competitors, the leading honours being secured by Mr. Mclndoe, 
Hutton Hall Gardens, Guisborough, who has an excellent collec¬ 
tion, in which the Grapes were very conspicuous. Mr. David 
Murray, Culzean Castle, Maybole, follows closely, and Mr. 
J. Hunter, Lambton Castle, Durham, is third, all three being very 
close in merit. In class 2, twelve dishes, Pines and Bananas ex¬ 
cluded, Mr. Hunter wins the first prize, the Grapes also being 
the most conspicuous part of this exhibit. The second prize goes to 
Mr. McKelvie, gardener to the Duchess of Roxburgh, and the third 
to Mr. Fairgrieve, Dunkeld. There are four competitors in this 
class also. In class 3, twelve dishes, Grapes and Pines excluded, 
Mr. Hunter is again first with most creditable Peaches, Plums, 
Apples, and Pears ; Mr. Mclndoe is a very close second ; and Mr. 
Melville, gardener to the Hon. G. G. Dalrymple, St. Boswells, i3 
third. In class 4, twelve dishes of orchard house fruit, Mr. 
Mclndoe wins the chief award, and is followed by Mr. Hunter and 
Mr. Melville in the order named. In class 5, eighteen dishes of 
hardy fruit grown outdoors in Scotland, after a brisk competition 
Mr. Fairgrieve gains the first honours with admirable examples. 
Mr. J. Day, Galloway House Gardens, is second ; and Mr. G. 
Goodfellow, gardener to E. C. S. Gray, Esq., Perth, third, all 
staging well. Five collections. In class 6, eighteen dishes of 
hardy fruit grown outdoors in England, Mr. Crasp, gardener to 
Lord Wimborne, Canford Manor, is far ahead of the two other 
competitors with fresh well grown fruits, in which the Pears, 
Apples, Plums, Peaches, and Figs are very notable for their fine 
quality. Mr. Nicholson, gardener to Wm. Miller, Esq., Seward- 
stone Lodge, Essex, is second ; and Mr. Wright, gardener to 
C. L. Campbell, Esq., Hereford, is third. 
The display of Grapes is astonishing both in number and 
qua'ity, the entries varying from four to fifteen in each class, 
and including these in the collections nearly 600 bunches are 
exhibited, a large majority of which are admirable examples of 
the best varieties. It was generally known that Alderman 
Chaffin’s Grapes had arrived from Bath, and the decisions of the 
fudges were looked for on the morning of the opening with the 
keenest interest. In class 7, eight bunches in four varieties, there 
are eight entries. All the sixty-four bunches thus provided 
are alone a beautiful exhibit of skill in Grape culture. After 
careful consideration the first honours were adjudged to Mr. Kirk, 
gardener to J. T. Paton, Esq., Norwood, Alloa ; his bunches of 
Black Hamburgh are grand, wonderfully well finished, and as 
nearly perfect as possible. Mr. Taylor, gardener to Alderman 
Chaffin, is second with superb bunches, but apparently they suf¬ 
fered in their journey north. Mr. Murray, Polmont, is a good 
third. Class 8, six bunches in three varieties, brought eleven 
competitors with a total of sixty-six bunches, and here again 
Mr. Kirk is the most successful, leading with Black Hamburghs, 
even and handsome, followed by Mr. J. W. McHattie, Newbattle, 
and Mr. G. Mackinnon, La c swade. In the other Grape classes 
the exhibits are highly meritorious, and the principal prizes go to 
Messrs. McHattie, Day, Potter, W. Murray, Morrison, Tajdor, and 
Witherspoon. 
Peaches, Nectarines, Plums, and Apricots are extensively 
shown, Messrs. Lunt of Keir and Blair of Trentliam winning the 
chief prizes. Hardy fruits are very largely shown, especially 
Apples, which occupy three long tables. Pears, also, are numerous, 
and one of the most successful exhibitors is Mr. Crasp, who 
secures prizes in many of the classes for single dishes. 
Vegetables afford a wonderful display, as may be judged from 
the fact that there are seventeen exhibits in the class for a 
c Election of twelve varieties, and the premier prize is well won 
bp Mr. Pope, gardener to the Earl of Carnarvon, Highclere 
Castle, Hants, a victory of which he may well be proud. Mr. 
Muir, Margam Park, is seconi, losing by a few points only, and 
Mr. Wilkins, gardener to Lady Guest, Dorset, is third. In the 
class for twelve dishes, Tomatoes, Mushroom 3 , and Cucumbers 
excluded, the prizes go to Messrs. Cocker of S ranraer, Low of 
Stirling, and Potter of North Berwick. Potatoes are represented 
largely and well in the class for eighteen varieties, no less than 
thirty six collections being staged, and the Judges had the most 
diffic lt task of anything in the whole Exhibition. Ultimately 
Mr. Sinclair of Harviston, Dollar, gained the first prize, followed 
by Mr. Robertson of Hartrigge House, and Mr. Gentleman, AVest 
Craigmorrie, Armadale. In all the other classes of this division 
the competition was keen, and the exhibits of fine quality. 
Concerning the pi mt classes we can say but little this week, 
but in the class for twelve stove and greenhouse plants Mr. Finch, 
gardener to J. Marriott, Esq., Coventry, wins first prize of £20, 
with grand specimens of flowering and foliage plants. In the class 
for a table of plants 20 feet by 5 feet Mr. J. McIntyre, gardener 
to Mrs. Pease, Darlington, is the most successful with a beautiful 
exhibit, and in the nurserymen’s class, for a table 30 by k 8 feet, 
Messrs. Ireland & Thomson, Edinburgh, win the first prize with a 
most tasteful group of plants. Cut flowers, including Roses, 
Hollyhocks, Carnations, Chrysanthemums, and many others, are a 
bright feature, and the non-competing exhibits are of considerable 
importance, but reference to them iu detail and other exhibits of 
interest must be reserved till our next issue. It may, however, be 
said, in conclusion, that amongst exhibitors from the south Messrs. 
B. S. AVilliams & Son, Messrs. J. Laing & Sons, Messrs. Cannell 
and Sons, Messrs. Cutbush & Co., and the Royal Horticultural 
Society, are the principal, while of the northern exhibitors Messrs. 
Thomson & Son, Clovenfords, Messrs. Dobbie & Co., Messrs. 
Stuart & Mein, Messrs. Dickson & Sons, Messrs. Cocker & Son, 
Messrs. Laing & Mather, and Messrs. Methven & Sons, are also 
notable contributors to this splendid exhibition. 
In recognition of the services rendered, not in connection with 
the Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society alone, but to British 
horticulture, we insert portraits of a few Scottish gardeners, 
whose features have not hitherto been depicted in these columns, 
also of the late Secretary of the Society, Mr. C. Stewart, who 
contributed so greatly to its prosperity, and of Mr. AV. Young, 
the untiring Assistant Secretary and valued official. We have 
other portraits in hand to appear with a fuller report of the 
Show, those being first inserted that were first received—namely, 
Mr. R. AV. Fairgrieve, Dunkeld, Perthshire ; Mr. W. McKelvie, 
Broxmouth Park, Dunbar ; Mr. W. Murray, Parkhall, Polmont ; 
Mr. James Mclndoe, Hutton Hall, Guisboro’-; Mr. J. Hunter, 
Lambton Castle ; Mr. A. Kirk, Norwood, Alloa ; Mr. M. Dunn, 
Dalkeith Palace ; and Mr. A. McLeod, Superintendent of the 
Parks of dinburgh. The excellent work of all those able men 
has been ecorded in this Journal, and probably will be again. 
NOTES ON BEDDING PLANTS AND BEDDING 
ARRANGEMENTS. 
Flower gardens ought now to be in full beauty. Many 
gardeners are reluctant to take cuttings from the plants for 
propagation lest the beds should be marred in appearance. It is, 
however, of the greatest importance that cuttings of all kinds be 
inserted as soon as possible, so that they may become well rooted 
before the dark days of winter. The only exception to this rule 
is in the case of Calceolarias, and the beginning of October is soon 
enough to insert cuttings of these, as if the cuttings callus before 
very severe weather sets in they may be depended upon to grow 
freely in early spring and make better plants than those which by 
reason of early propagation make growth during the autumn 
months. 
Before commencing the work of propagation a careful survey 
should be made of the flower beds, noting those which have been 
the most satisfactory, determining the arrangements for another 
season, and propagating in quantity accordingly. In some instances 
where beds in particular situations have been especially striking it 
may be good policy to repeat them another season, but as a rule 
the arrangements each year should be as original and varied as 
possible, at the same time, of course, trying to make each suc¬ 
ceeding diplay more attractive than the last. Although we may 
not always succeed in doing this it is a laudable ambition to try. 
In this district the soil is rather light and dry, so that the present, 
or I might almost say the past, summer has been favourable in 
many respects for bedding plants. White Marguerites are much 
more effective bedders than I have known them to be in any other 
locality, the plants being extremely floriferous, the tendency with 
them in many places being to make a great amount of growth 
without giving a proportionate display of flowers. This shows the 
necessity of noting the adaptability of plants to district. Dianthus 
Heddewigi edged with a broad band of Cineraria acanthifolia or 
Golden Feather makes a charming bed, many of the colours being 
extremely rich and the marking of the flowers exquisite. The 
flowers are invaluable for cutting for vase decoration. The plants 
should be grown rather thickly, so that they soon form a mass so 
close that the flower stems support each other. The only attention 
required is to tie down to sticks a few of the longest flowering 
