JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
C July 16,1885. 
5 0 
the best twelve Alpine plants in flower, these being extremely pretty. The 
kinds staged were Campanula pentagonia, C. fragilis hirsuta, C. pumilaalba, 
C. turbinata, C. t. Dicksoni, Saxifraga ceratophylla, S. aizoides aurantiaca, 
very novel; Primula floribunda, Dianthus alpinus, Statice miniata (?), 
Lysimachia nummularia, and Sedum glaucum. 
Roses. —The Roses, as we have said, presented a most attractive feature. 
In the nurserymen’s classes the competition lay mainly between the Irish 
grower, Mr. H. Dickson of Belfast, and the Scotch grower, Mr. Smith, 
Stranraer, the Irish Roses beating the other most completely. For forty- 
eight, twenty-four, twenty-four Teas, twelve trusses, twelve sent out since 
1882, twelve Marbchal Niel, twelve Lady Mary Fitzwilliam, twelve Duke of 
Edinburgh, twelve Baroness Rothschild, twelve Mons. E. Y. Teas, twelve 
Sir Garnet Wolseley, and twelve Gloire de Dijon, the Irish Roses were first. 
Mr. Bryson, Helensburgh, had the best collection of Roses, and Mr. Dick¬ 
son second. 
Some of the finer blooms in the prize lots were of Teas, Lady M. Fitz¬ 
william, Etoile de Lyon, Marechal Niel, Anna Ollivier, Catherine Mermet, 
Innocente Pirola, and Etendard de Jeanne d’Arc; these were generally 
small. Of the H.P.’s the following were shown in good form : Star of 
Waltham, La France, Merveille de Lyon, Etienne Levet, Alphonse Soupert, 
Souvenir de Leon Gambetta, A. K. Williams, and Merveille de Lyon. 
In the gardeners’ classes there was a strong competition, hut the blooms 
were much smaller and generally more overblown than in the trade classes. 
For thirty-six blooms Mr. Parlane, gardener to H. Dennistowne, Esq.,Golfhill, 
Roslin, was first, many of the blooms being fine, large, and bright in colour. 
The second prize went to Mr. McColl, gardener to M. A. Murs, Esq., 
Ardenrohr, Row, and the third to Mr. G. Hunter, gardener to Mr. 
MacKnight, Lauriston Castle. Seven competitors staged in this class. For 
twenty-four blooms Mr. Parlane was first again, Mr. McColl second, and Mr. 
Dow, gardener to Sir David Baird, Newby th, third. For twelve trusses Mr. 
Parlane was again first ; Mr. A. McIntosh, gardener to Col. Milne Home, 
Paxton, Berwickshire, second. Mr. W. Matthews, gardener to T. R. Ure, 
Esq., Mona Cottage, Bonnybridge, had first for six blooms. Prizes were 
offered for several blooms of distinct varieties, but in no case were these fine. 
For twelve Tea Roses Mr. Hill Gray, Dunkeld, took first with a lot of 
fresh beautiful buds, though small ; two magnificent buds of Marechal Niel, 
however, were large and finely coloured. Mr. Parlane had the second prize 
for these. For six Teas Mr. McColl was first, and Mr. Scott, Carhery Towers, 
second. 
For twenty-four cut trusses, stove or greenhouse plants, Messrs. Ireland 
and Thomson were first, Messrs. Dickson & Co. second. The latter firm had 
also first prize for bedding Yiolas and show and fancy Pansies. In the 
gardeners’ section for twelve trusses stove or greenhouse plants Mr. Smith, 
Brentham Park, Stirling, was first, showing some beautiful Orchids, fine 
spathes of Anthurium Schertzerianum, and a Pancratium. Mr. R. Corkbury, 
gardener to H. H. Norie, E-q., Coltbridge Hall, second, and Mr. Grossart 
third. For twelve Pinks Mr. Parlane was first, as also for fancy Pansies, 
Mr. Ritchie, Denny, being first for show Parnsies. 
Fruit. —With exception of the Grapes fruit was in scanty quantity. 
Mr. Johnstone, Glamis Castle, was the only exhibitor of a collection of fruit, 
in this case only four dishes being staged instead of eight as required in the 
schedule. This comprised two splendid bunches of Black Hamburgh Grapes, 
excellent Brown Turkey Figs, Sulhamstead Peaches, and a Best-of-All 
Melon. A special award was voted to these. For a Pine Apple Mr. Morri¬ 
son, Archerfield, Drem, was first, and Mr. McKelvie, Brotmouth Park, 
Dunbar, second. Mr. Murray, gardener to Marquis of Ailsa, Culzean Castle, 
had a special vote for seven Pine Apples. For four hunches of Grapes five 
lots were staged, the first prize going to Mr. J. W. Mackenzie, gardener to 
the Marquis of Lothian, Newbattle Abbey, Dalkeith, the two bunches of 
Muscat of Alexandria being very fine, the other two bunches being fine 
Black Hamhurghs ; Mr. J. Hacker, gardener to J. More Nishett, Esq., The 
Drum, Liberton, second ; and Mr. Bald, gardener to J. McFarlane, Esq., 
Oswald Road, third. Five pairs of Black Hamburghs were staged, the first 
rize going to Mr. Boyd, gardener to W. Forbes, Esq., Callander Park, Falkirk, 
for examples of super-excellent quality, large in bunch and berry and per¬ 
fect in finish ; Mr. McKinnon, Melville Castle, was second with two remark¬ 
ably fine hunches. For two bunches of black of another kind Mr. Bald was 
first with two small but well-finished examples, seemingly of Mrs. Pince • 
Mr. Kerr, Sunlaws, Kelso, second. For two bunches of Muscat of Alexandria 
Mr. Morrison, Archerfield, was first with good well-ripened examples ; Mr. 
R. Dunlop, gardener to J. Addie, Esq., View Park, TTddingston, second, with 
better though less ripe Grapes. For six Peaches Mr. Machattie was first 
with fine Early York ; Mr. Cockburn, Coltbridge Hall, second with Hales’ 
Early. For six Nectarines Mr. Smith, Oxenford Castle, was first with fine 
Violette Hative, and Mr. Machattie second with Lord Napier, large and fine 
but rather overripe. For six Figs Mr. McIntyre, The Glen, was first with 
Brown Turkey, and Mr. Young, Taymouth, second. Mr. McKelvie was first 
for a Melon, and Mr. Boyd second. Mr. Melville, St. Boswells, was first for 
a dish of Cherries. Mr. Sinclair, Prestonkirk, had first prize for four dishes 
of Strawberries and a single dish of the same fruit. 
Bouquets.—Mr. P. Walker, Hope Park, Bonnybridge, for table bouquets 
had first prize; Mr. J. Cocker, Wheatlands House, Bonnybridge, beinv 
second. For two hand bouquets Mr. Cocker had first, and Mr. Bowman 
second. 
Vegetables were almost without exception of poor quality. For a 
collection of twelve sorts, open to market gardeners, Mr. Logan, Coldstream 
was first, and Mr. Miles, Sunnybank, second. For eight kinds, open to 
gardeners. Mr. Potter, Seacliff, North Berwick, was first, and Mr.’ Bowman 
second. Mr. John Stewart, Catherine Bank House, was first for a collection 
of salads, and Mr. Milne second. None of the single dishes were of a 
character worth noting. 
Of miscellaneous exhibits Messrs. Methven A Sons, Messrs. Ireland and 
Thomson, and Messrs. Dickson A Co. each showed mixed tables of stove 
and greenhouse plants. Mr. R. Munro had a collection of alpine and 
herbaceous plants. Messrs. J. Lamont & Sons showed a large collection of 
named English and Spanish Irises, Alpine Poppies, and Herbaceous 
Pceonies. Messrs. Dickson & Co. staged an extensive assortment of cut 
flowers, including a large number of border Pinks, laced Pinks, and a pure 
white variety, Mrs. W. M. Welsh, to which a first-class certificate was 
awarded. Some fine Fancy and Show Pansies were also staged bv this 
firm. From Messrs. Stuart & Mein, Kelso, came a new white Lobelia, Mis3 
Hope, which may prove useful for greenhouses, also a large collection of cut 
Pyrethrums and Pinks, Delphiniums and herbaceous plants. 
Among garden requirements were a few greenhouses, one from Messrs. 
Mackenzie cfe Moncur, Upper Grove Place, Edinburgh, fitted with their 
toothed ventilating gearing, which saves the ventilators from any bad 
effects of high wind. The outside was painted a chocolate colour picked 
out with gold, the finials and ridge ornamentation of bronze, making a very 
effective example of artistic greenhouse building. Messrs. Keith & Hardie, 
Edinburgh, showed a conservatory, the main feature of which was the 
strengthening of the rafters with flat iron strap running the entire length of 
the roof. 
OXALIS CERNUA. 
In the very pretty genus Oxalis we have an extensive assemblage of 
plants of so interesting a character, that it cannot but excite surprise 
that of more than 100 species known to botanists, so few should be seen 
in general cultivation. The habit of the whole is remarkably neat and 
dwarf, their colours comprise nearly every imaginable shade, and the 
simplicity of their culture is such that the veriest novice can hardly fail 
in their successful treatment. A few only of the species are perfectly 
hardy, but a considerable number may be grown in the open borders 
during the summer and autumn ; of many, however, the flowers are pro¬ 
duced at so early a season of the year that they are chiefly cultivated in 
pots, for which all of them are admirably suited, and it is from this sec¬ 
tion of the genus that our illustration is taken. 
The Oxalis cernua possesses in a high degree the qualifications we 
have attributed to the whole genus ; its flowers are of the purest yellow 
of a delicious Jasmine-like fragrance, and produced in greater abundance 
than in any other species of our acquaintance. On a bright sunny morn¬ 
ing a pot of this plant will present up to noon a perfect blaze of beauty ; 
but, as in the case of the rest of the genus, its flowers remain closed in 
cloudy weather, or where no direct sunshine penetrates. 
As in most of the other species the root is a small bulb, from 
which arises a very short underground stem or stipe, to which the leaf¬ 
stalks are articulated. The leaflets, sprinkled with russet brown spots, 
are so broadly heart-shaped that they may be termed two-lohed, which, 
with its mapy-flowered umbel, serves to distinguish it among the stemless 
species. While young the leaflets are at the approach of evening folded 
back against the petiole, expanding with the return of the morning light; 
but the older leaves appear to lose gradually this sensibility to the solar 
radiations, and remain folded under all circumstances. 
The umbel of flowers, consisting of eight to twelve blossoms, some¬ 
times more, is supported on a smooth peduncle, or, to speak more cor¬ 
rectly, scape, 6 or 8 inches long ; and as each bulb throws up at least 
half a dozen scapes in succession, the flowering season of the plant may 
be fairly said to extend over a period of two months. 
Cultivation .—After blooming the plants should be exposed in a sunny 
corner out of doors, water being gradually withheld. By degrees the 
leaves will assume a yellow tint, and finally fall off; and in this condition 
the pots containing the bulbs should be placed aside and kept perfectly 
dry until the season arrives for repotting them. If the ball of earth be 
now examined, a strong fibre may be traced from the surface-bulb quite 
to the bottom of the pot, and usually terminated by a cluster of young 
bulbs, each of the size of a nut. A pot planted originally with three 
bulbs will often contain, after flowering, a dozen or more full-sized roots, 
so that abundant facilities are offered for its propagation. At the base of 
the old bulb, which perishes, and also upon the short stipe proceeding 
from it, small offsets are often produced ; but they are too minu'e to be 
