£88 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ October 1,1891. 
My soil is light to a depth of 15 inches, with a thinnish stratum of 
clay below. Would “ D., Deal," advise me to cut otf the spikes of those 
not showing colour ?—J. A. W. 
THE EDINBURGH SHOW. 
New Plants. 
I should like to know if any experienced plantsmen observed 
the class for new plants at Edinburgh closely and carefully ; if 
they did their opinions as to the relative merit of the exhibits 
would be worth having. I have spent a life amongst plants, and 
most of the novelties of the last quarter of a century have passed 
through my hands, and in my judgment the collection of new 
plants from Messrs. B. S. Williams & Son, Upper Holloway, were 
well worthy of the first prize, though the second was awarded 
them. Healthy young specimens were shown of Cattleya 
Massaiana, Dracaena Malletti, Dicksonia Lathami, Anthurium 
eburneum, Alocasia Chantrieri, and Pteris tremula elegans, all 
good and distinct kinds.—A Surrey Gardener. 
Stealing Fruit. 
This subject has very properly been brought to the front, and 
though I was not a sufferer myself I was present at the fight for 
the fruit, and know several who are very serious losers by the 
affair, for which they could obtain no remedy ; in fact, their 
complaints were treated in a very off-handed manner by some of 
the officials. Whole bunches of Grapes, boards and all, were lost; 
nor was this confined to the fruit classes, for several lost their 
boards, tubes, and all the appliances. If this was the first time 
anything of the kind had taken place it would be excusable, but 
grave complaints of a similar character have been made in the 
past, and seemingly with no result. Several exhibitors in the 
North of England could relate some rather startling experiences 
in this matter if they were only inclined to do so. Mr. 
J. Mclndoe, for instance, could tell a little history.—R. M. 
It was with great pleasure I read the note in the Journal of 
September 24th on the above subject, accompanied with consider¬ 
able regret that there should be cause at such a Show for so 
grievous a complaint. That there is great cause for complaint I 
can testify, being myself a victim of the light-fingered fraternity 
who visited the Show. In the course of competitions I have 
known single specimens taken from the plates on the benches, but 
it was not until I exhibited at Edinburgh that I experienced the 
mortification of having whole plates of Peaches, Figs, Nectarines, 
and collections of Pears and Apples taken. Having received a 
hint before on this matter I made a struggle to get to my exhibits 
as soon as possible, but notwithstanding I was there early I found 
others had been before me, and my fruit was stolen. I am fully 
aware these facts must be considered as a somewhat grave charge 
against the management of the Show, but the Council must in 
their turn consider this must be shown up by gardeners in self 
protection, and with a view to altering the arrangements, which at 
any rate should be such as to prevent pilfering on such a scale. To 
many gardeners, myself included, it is most serious, as I have to 
return my fruits to my employer’s table, and unless we can do so 
no doubt we shall be either debarred from showing or have to find 
fresh employers. Besides this, I would like to give what might be 
considered by some a rather presumptuous piece of advice—namely, 
that civility on the part of officials tends to increase the popularity 
of an exhibition. When I saw the “ riot and rabble,” and noticed 
the manner people were helping themselves inside, I could not 
help contrasting the way the Exhibition was managed with 
that at Exeter. If the Council do not see how to prevent the 
present state of affairs, they would be spending their money well 
by sending a deputation to Exeter, where no doubt the officials 
will receive them with courtesy and freely give them any informa¬ 
tion they require. Trusting I have not occupied too much of your 
valuable space.—T. H. Crasp, Canford Gardens , Wimhorne. 
“A Visitor ” at the above Show deserves the thanks of all 
interested for calling attention to the extremely rough treatment 
experienced by exhibitors, and I thoroughly endorse all his remarks. 
Evidently “ A Visitor ” was not an exhibitor, or he would in all 
probability have had something to say on the inconvenience caused 
by gardeners not being able to get their exhibits into the Waverley 
Market till after mid-day previous to the Show. More than one 
gardener was told he might take his fruit to the-when he asked 
where he must put it, and this in some cases after exhibitors had 
c >me several hundreds of miles. Surely all courteous men are 
entitled to courteous treatment, but this was far from being the 
case at Edinburgh. While making all allowance for the usual 
market held on Tuesday, I can see no reason why some better 
arrangements could not be made, not only before the opening, but 
also at the closing of the Show. As to loss of fruit I might say a 
good deal, as my loss was considerable, but there seems to be no 
remedy.— An Exhibitor. 
Awards to Non-Competing Exhibits. 
It was stated recently that no awards had been made to the 
non-competing exhibits at the recent International Show in Edin¬ 
burgh with the exception of the magnificent exhibit of plants, 
flowers, and fruit from Messrs. Thomson & Son of Clovenfords. 
We have received an intimation to the effect that the Council of 
the Royal Caledonian Society held a meeting on September 23rd 
“ to arrange as to special awards,” and a list -was promised as soon 
as ready. Just as we are going to press the subjoined has been 
received, but one correspondent has written to this effect:—“If 
any awards were to be accorded to my exbibi s and those of other 
firms, it would have been much better to have announced them at 
the time of the Show, or at least immediately afterwards. Now it 
will be of little or no value to me from a business point of view.” 
Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society’s International Show, 
9th, 10th, and 11th September, 1891. Special awards recom¬ 
mended for exhibits not in competition. 
Gold Medal (awarded by the Judges).—Messrs. Thomson and 
Sons, Tweed Vineyard, Clovenfords, for large table of choice 
exotic plants, fruit, flowers, and vegetables. 
Silver-gilt Medals. — The Royal Horticultural Society, 
London, for table of Apples, Plums, Damsons, and Tomatoes ; 
Messrs. Geo. Bunyard & Co., Maidstone, Kent, for collection of 
Apples, Pears, Plums, Kentish Cob Nuts ; Mr. Walker, Ham, 
Surrey, for collection of Apples and Pears ; Messrs. Birkenhead, 
Sale, Manchester, for collection of Ferns ; Messrs. Cannell and 
Sons, Swanley, Kent, for collection of Cactus Dahlias, double 
Begonias, t^c.; Messrs. Dickson & Sons, nurserymen, Edinburgh, 
for collection of Conifers ; Messrs. Williams & Son, Holloway, 
London, for collection of stove and greenhouse plants. 
Silver Medals. —Messrs. Cheal & Sons, Crawley, Sussex, for 
collection of Apples and Pears, set off with stands of Dahlias, &c. ; 
Mr. John Watkins, Pomona Farm, Hereford, for collection of 
Apples, Pears, Plums, Damsons, Cider Apples, Perry Pears, Cider 
Champagne, and Perry Champagne ; Messrs. Cocker & Sons, Aber¬ 
deen, for collection of Roses and other cat flowers : Messrs. Cross 
and Sons, Glasgow, for collections of fruits, flowers, plants, and 
vegetables ; Mr. H. Deverill, Banbury, Oxfordshire, for a table of 
Onions, Carrots, Leeks, &c. ; Messrs. Dobbie & Co., Rothesay, 
for table of choice varieties of cut flowers, &c. ; Messrs. Laing 
and Sons, Forest Hill, London, for table of Begonias and useful 
decorative plants, &c. ; Messrs. Dicksons & Co., Edinburgh, for 
table of miscellaneous decorative plants ; Messrs. Methven & Sons, 
Edinburgh, for table of decorative plants, &c. ; The Saratoga 
Packing Company, California, for exhibit of sun-dried Californian 
Prunes ; Mr. James Taylor, Bangholm, Edinburgh, for collection 
of vegetables put up as sent to market ; Mr. Currar, Eskbank, 
for Oncidium incurvum, awarded for good culture ; Mr. A. 
McGregor, for Saccolabium Blumei majus, awarded for good 
culture. 
Bronze Medals.— Mr. Rust, Eridge Castle Gardens, Sussex, 
for collection of Apples and Pears grown at an altitude of 400 feet 
above sea level; Mr. Campbell, Blantyre, Lanarkshire, for table of 
cut flowers, &c. ; Mr. Cuthbertson, Rothesay, Bute, for table of 
cut flowers, &c. ; Messrs. Laing & Mather, Kelso, for collection of 
Carnations and other cut flowers ; Messrs. Stuart & Mein, Kelso, 
for table of choice flowers, &c. ; Messrs. Cutbush & Son, High- 
gate, London, for table of miscellaneous decorative plants ; Mr. 
Hugh Dickson, Belmont Nursery, Belfast, for exhibit of forty- 
eight blooms of Mrs. John Laing Rose. 
EREMURUS HIMALAICUS. 
A handsome example of this stately plant was sent to the Temple 
Show last May by Mr. John J. Smyth, Rathcoursey, Ballinacurra, 
Ireland, when the Floral Committee awarded a first-class certificate for 
it, an honour that was well merited, for it is one of the most distinct 
and effective members of a comparatively little known genus. The tall 
scapes bear numerous small white fragrant flowers, and as the plant is 
perennial and quite hardy in most southern districts it will become a 
favourite. 
There are few species of Eremurus in cultivation, but about eighteen 
are known to botanists, and in Mr. G. Nicholson’s Dictionary the 
following are noted :—E. himalaicus, flowers white, star-shaped; scape 
1L feet to 2 feet in height, bearing a densely picked raceme; leaves 
strap-shaped, acute, glabrous, entire, about 1 foot in length. Hima¬ 
laya, 1881. E. Korolkowi is a rare and handsome species, from Central 
Asia, growing from 3 feet to 4 feet high, and bearing immense spikes 
of bright rose flowers. E. Olgm.—Flowers white, star-shaped, with 
