248 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ September 17, 1885. 
It is possible to root ihe cuttings by this method without exciting them 
into fresh growth. I have tried various ways of rooting them without 
pushing them into growth, and the system devised has answered as well 
as any. If the plants are left in heat after they are rooted they frequently 
start into growth, but this must be avoided by gradually hardening them 
to the conditions of a cold frame. If this is carefully done, and the young 
plants are given cool treatment as early as possible after they are rooted, 
they will not fail to perfect and ripen their buds and stems. 
The amateur who only possesses handlights and cold frames in addition 
to his small greenhouse may also root the cuttings very well, which will 
this season be ready for insertion from outside plants. 
The warm dry weather which has prevailed has brought the growth 
forward very quickly, but it has been found necessary on several occasions 
to thoroughly water the plants intended to supply cuttings. The cuttings 
from these will root freely enough under a hnndlight in the greenhouse 
if kept perfectly close and treated the same as advised for those placed in 
a heated structure. They will also root in a cold frame that can be kept 
close, but better in a handlight where air can be excluded from them. 
The young plants when rooted should be grown in a cool place until 
the approach of frost, when they can be placed in a frame where frost can 
be excluded. Our earliest plants usually occupy a position in a vinery at 
rest until the commencement of the year, the later plants being kept in 
cold frames, and protected with mats if occasion requires. These plants 
are hardy enough and will bear frost, but it does them no good, and there¬ 
fore should be avoided, for it frequently ends in the destruction of their 
foliage, which we endeavour to preserve. 
Another, and a very reliable system of preparation for oarly forcing, 
is accomplished by striking a good number of cuttings in spring. The 
cuttings are perfectly soft, and thinned out from the plants in cold frames 
after they have made sufficient growth for the purpose, that are intended 
to supply cuttingB in late summer. These are rooted in brisk heat, either 
:n the propagating frame or under handlights in the Cucumber and Melon 
houses. Each cutting is inserted singly in a small pot, and directly they 
are rooted they aro gradually hardened and placed in cold frames, giving 
them abundance of air until the weather is sufficiently genial for turning 
them outside. When tho small pots are well crammed with roots, which 
is generally the case by the time ihe plants are placed outside, they are 
transferred into others 4 inches in diameter. The soil, which consists of 
good fibry loam, sand, and one-seventh of decayed manure, is pressed as 
firmly as possible into tho pots to insuro a dwarf sturdy growth. 
After potting, the plants are arranged in an open sunny position. 
Sometimes they are plunged to save labour in watering, but when this is 
done care is taken not to allow them to root outside their pots. The 
plants remain in this position until autumn, when they are placed under 
cover and troated the same ns those rooted at this season of the year. 
I hese are only potted once during the season, and the result is plants with 
large foliage and stout thick stems not more than C inches high by the 
time they are housed. Plants prepared by this method are certain to 
produce early in the season enormous heads of their beautiful flowers. 
Their after treatment will be referred to in another article.—B. 
THE GRAND DUKE PLUM. 
At the Royal Horticultural Society on the 8th instant, a seedling 
Plum was exhibited by Mr. Laxton, and with it for “comparison,” as 
slated on the card, some specimens of a small Plum labellod “Grand 
Duke.” If this was the correct name, the specimens were mis-shapen, 
iiudersized, and prematurely ripened if from out of doors. As I am 
responsible for the introduction of the “ Grand Duke,” which was raised 
hore some years since from the Autumn Compote, and I have stated that 
it ripens in October and is very large, those who saw and believed the 
Plum exhibited on this occasion to be true would have just cause to feel 
aggrieved if they had purchased fhe sort on my representation. Amongst 
the number who visited the Show there were many whose good opinion I 
value extremely, and I should be sorry indeed if the fruit exhibited would 
cause them to think that I had attached an untrue description to the 
Grand Duke. For your satisfaction I send you some fruit of the Plum as 
it is grown here, which I hope will reach you in good condition, that 
you may bo able to judge of its character. 
If the precedent set on this occasion by Mr. Laxton be allowed, horti¬ 
cultural exhibitions would present a lively scene, as contending exhibitors 
would not choose the best productions of their rivals as “ foils ” or 
“ comparisons ” to their own exhibits—T. Francis Rivers, Sawbridge- 
worth, Herts, 
[We have received specimens of Grand Duke from Mr. Rivers, some 
from trees in tho open ground, which aro of course quite unripe, as the 
sort is not in season till October, and others from trees in an orchard 
house. The lat er are large handsome Plums, and of excellent quality.] 
ROYAL CALEDONIAN SOCIETY'S SHOW. 
The autumn Show of the above Society was held in the Waverley 
Market, Edinburgh, on the 9th and 10th inst., under the most auspicious cir¬ 
cumstances. The weather was good, the number of exhibitors was large, 
and the attendance of the public most satisfactory. There were about lbOO 
entries, vegetables being perhaps most largely represented, and plants the 
worst. Fruit was a large show, of Grapes alone about 400 bunches being 
set up. Apples were also staged in very large numbers, but flowers were 
hardly up to the average. For the first time bees and their products formed 
an attractive and appropriate addition to the Exhibition. 
Fruit. —For the collection of twelve sorts, fhe prizes being £G, £4, and 
£2, three exhibitors staged, and of these Mr. Murray, gardener to the 
Marquis of Ailsa, Culzean Castle, Ayrshire, was successful in obtaining the 
first place with a Cayenne and Prince Albert Pine Apple, Black Hamburgh 
and splendid Muscat of Alexandria Grapes, good Noblesse and Stirling 
Castle Peaches, Elruge and Pitmaston Orange Nectarines, Brown Turkey 
Figs, a brace of Melons, fine Worcester Pearmain Apples, and Kirke’s 
Plums. Mr. Morrison, gardener to Miss Nisbet Hamilton, Archerfield, 
Drem, second with good Pine Apples, four kinds of Grapes, Muscat of 
Alexandria, good Gros Colrnan, Gros Guillaume, and Trebbiano, fine Castle 
Kennedy Figs, &c. Mr. Mclndoe, gardener to Sir J. W. Pease, Hutton Hall, 
Guisborough, third. The Grapes in this collection were the weak point, 
other fruit being generally flue. Three collections were set up for the 
prizes offered for a collection of eight sorts of fruit. Mr. Mclndoe was first 
here with good Gros Colman and fair Black Hamburgh Grapes, a Melon, 
Princess of Wales Peach, Durondeau Pears, &c. Mr. McKelvie, gardener to 
the Dowagrr Duchess of Roxburghe, Broxmouth Park, second, good Muscat 
of Alexandria and Noblesse Peaches being the most notable examples in this 
collection. 
Prizes of £6, £4, and £2 were offered by the Corporation of Edinburgh 
for twelve bunches of Grapes, six to be black and six white. Mr. Hammond, 
gardener to Sir Wilfrid Lawson, Bart., Brayton, Carlisle ; Mr. McKelvie, 
Mr. Murray, and Mclndoe entered the list for three piizes, the first three 
being successful and taking the prizes in the order named. Mr. Hammond’s 
bunches were not large, but very well finished. The sorts were three 
bunches each of Gros Maroc, very fine ; grand Alicante, finely finished 
Raisin de Calabre, and Muscat of Alexandria, which would have been extra 
fine a month previous, but as staged a little too old. Mr. McKelvie’s were 
less equal, some of the bunches being much smaller than others. Alnwick 
Seedling was grand, so also Muscat of Alexandria, Alicante fine, Raisin de 
Calabre good, and fine Gros Colman, Gros Guillaume, and Buckland Sweet¬ 
water. Mr. Murray’s fruits ran these rather close, his Golden Queen being 
wonderfully fine, as also Alnwick Seedling ; Mrs. Pince fine, though show¬ 
ing its general lack of colour, very good Muscat of Alexandria, and Foster’s 
Seedling. Mr. Hammond was again first with eight buDches of Grapes 
with good Golden Queen, Gros Maroc, Alicante, and Raisin de Calabre. Mr. 
Jenkins, gardener to Brodie Cochrane, Esq., Aldin Grange, Durham, second. 
Alnwick Seedling and Alicante were fine in this lot. Mr. McKinnon, 
gardener to the Viscount Melville, Melville Castle, Lasswade, third. For 
four bunches there were twelve entries. Mr. Boyd, gardener to Mr. Forbes, 
Callander Park, Falkirk, leading with very good Lady Downe’s, fine 
Muscat Hamburgh, Black Alicante, and Black Hamburgh. Mr. Hammond 
second, Golden Queen, Gros Maroc, and Alicante being fine. Mr. McKelvie 
third. Mr. Kirk, gardener to Mr. Palin, Norwood Park, Alloa, staged ex¬ 
amples of the following, the berries being of extraordinary size :—Gros 
Colman, Duke of Buccleucb, Cooper’s Black, and Madresfield Court. Mr. 
Boyd was first for two finely finished medium-sized bunches of Black 
Hamburgh. Mr. Smith, Speddock, Dumfries, second, and Mr. Day, Gatlies- 
ton, for two bunches Muscat of Alexandria was first with really fine ex¬ 
amples. Mr. McKelvie staged two fine clusters for the second place. For 
one bunch of tho above Mr. J. King, Middleton House, was first, and Mr. 
Boyd second. Mr. Murray, Polmont, was first for one Black Hamburgh, Mr. 
McKinnon being second. Messrs. Hammond and Boyd took prizes for the 
Alicante, both with grand examples. Mr. J. Cocker, gardener to Mr. Ure, 
Bonnybridge, had the best example of Alnwick Seedling, Mr. Boyd being 
second. Mr. W. Murray, Polmont, had first place for Gros Colman and 
Lady Downe’s, Mr. Mclndoe being second with the former and Mr. Boyd 
with the latter, the Lady Downe’s being specially fine. Mr. Boyd, with 
Waltham Cro?s, took the prize for any white Grape other than those named. 
Duchess of Buccleuch was the finest flavoured white ; Mr. Machattie, 
gardener to the Marquis of Lothian, Newbattle, being first, and Mr. Mclndoe 
second. Mr. J. King had the finest bloomed bunch, and for two pot Vines 
Mr. ,T. Lamont was first. 
Pine Apples were not numerous, but good. Mr. Morris had honours for 
two, staging good Smooth Cayenne; Sir. McIntyre, gardener to Sir C. 
Tennant, Bart., M.P., The Glen, Innerleithen, second ; Mr. Boyd had the 
best Queen, and Mr. Mclndoe the best Smooth Cayenne. Mr. Henderson, 
Parkhill, Polmont, had first, and Mr. Niel Black, Darlington, second, for a 
bunch of fine Bananas. To Mr. Hammond the award went for the best 
green-flesh Melon, Mr. McKelvie having the best scarlet-flesh variety. Mr. 
Hammond with good Barrington took first for twelve Peaches, Mr. Low 
Viewforth House, Stirling, being second. Mr. Brown with Pitmaston 
Orange Nectarine was first, and Mr. D. Murray second. 
For a collection of six sorts Ptars, Mr. Hunter, gardener to Earl of 
Durham, Lambton Castle, Durham, was first with grand examples of 
Bellissime d’Hiver, Bon Chretien, Beurre de l’Assomption, Beurrd d’Amanlis, 
Souvenir du Congres. The same exhibitor also took first for six Pears with 
Gregoire Bourdillon. Apples were quite a show in themselves, all the 
classes being well filled and keenly contested, the orchard house fruit from 
Hutton Hall and Lambton, however, handicapping rather heavily those who 
could only stage out-of-door fruit. Mr. Hunter had first for twelve sorts, 
staging fine examples of Flower of Kent, Ribston Pippin, Lord Snflield, 
Worcester Pearmain, Ecklinville, Peasgood’s Nonesuch, Cox’s Pomona, and 
Cellini. Mr. Mclndoe second, and also first for six sorts kitchen. Gascoigne 
Seedling, Washington, and Dutch Codlin were very finely shown. Mr. 
Brotherston, gardener to Earl of Haddington, Tyninghame, was second, 
Warner’s King, Kentish Fillbasket, and Mere de Menage being the best. 
Mr. Hunter had first for two sorts dessert Apples with Jefferson and Wor¬ 
cester Pearmain, Mr. Murray second with the latter and Early Julien. Gf 
single dishes the finest were Ecklinville Seedling, from Mr. Duncan, Had¬ 
dington ; Lord Suffield, from Mr. Blackie, Leith ; Peasgood’s Nonesuch and 
Lord Derby from Mr. Mclndoe; Warner’s King from Mr. Brotherston. An 
exhibitor who staged Old English Codlin received the first prize for Keswick 
Codlin. 
For a collection of ten sorts of hardy fruits Mr. Fairgrieve, gardener 
to the Dowager Duchess of Athol, Dunkeld, was easily first, Shipley 
Apricots being really grand. Peaches and Neotarines were also fine, as also 
Plums. Mr. Mclndoe second, and Mr. Dow, gardener to Sir D. Baird, Bart., 
Newbyth, third. 
Among the plant classes the best prizes we e offered for a table arranged 
for effect. Messrs. Irelanl A Thomson were easily first among nurserymen, 
