THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, April 13, 1858. 
paper steep the tobacco leaves in the solution, and then dry 
them. You have then “touch tobacco,” which will burn 
rapidly, without fumigating bellows or any other implement 
of the kind. 
The plan I follow is this I have an old flower-pot with a 
hole pierced through the side on a level with the floor. Then, 
inside, I have a piece of perforated zinc, to prevent the tobacco 
from falling to the bottom, and thus choking the draught of 
air through the hole. I place a couple of lighted matches on 
the perforated zinc, throw in the touch tobacco, rush out of 
the house, shut the door, and keep it so till the morning. 
I have often tried, and succeeded, by laying the matches on 
the floor, and heaping the touch tobacco over them; but of 
all the plans I tried, the old pot is the best. I have just 
done it now, and I suppose that the time which elapsed, from 
my going into the house and leaving my fumigator in full 
operation, was not two minutes. 
Some friends, to whom I have communicated it, have found 
it most useful as well as easy. The nitre evidently adds to 
the effect of the tobacco.— Simplex. 
THE HYACINTH SHOW AT EDINBURGH. 
Oxe of the most successful Floricultural Shows that the 
metropolis of Scotland ever produced, was held in the Music 
Hall, Georges Street, on Tuesday, the 23rd of March. The 
Society being in a position to offer liberal prizes, intending 
competitors were known to have been laying out all their 
resources and skill for the coming event. The result certainly 
shows, that the Scotch gardeners are amply qualified to 
maintain their reputation, when circumstances place them in 
an equal position with their neighbours. On this occasion 
they were brought into competition with Holland, the father- 
land of bulbs, for thence were sent over some of its fairest 
treasures for exhibition, and the lion of London exhibitors — 
he whom no English grower dare ever “ provoke with im¬ 
punity”—confessed himself, this year, still more decidedly 
beaten, by Thomas H. Douglas, w T hose flowers showed a 
superiority of cultivation to any hitherto exhibited. 
The number of Hyacinths sent was 532, nearly all of which 
were entered for competition. The general appearance of the 
Show was decidedly superior to that of last year; the whole 
having been admirably arranged under the immediate super¬ 
intendence of Mr. Wm. Thomson, of the Palace Gardens, 
Dalkeith. 
The first prize for eighteen Hyacinths, grown by nursery¬ 
men, was awarded to Thomas H. Douglas, Rosebank, Edin¬ 
burgh, the varieties being— Richardson, Mount Blanc , and 
Grandeur d Merveille, single white ; Grand Lilas, Regulus, 
Canning , and Grand Vidette, single light blue; Baron Van 
Tagil, single dark blue; Garrick, and Bloxberg , double blue; 
Mrs. H. B. Stoive, Madame Hodgson, Miss F. Nightingale, 
and Salfaterre (very fine), single red ; Lord Wellington , ancl 
Unica spectabile , single rose; Susannah Mars , double red ; 
and Prince Albert , single black. 
The second prize was awarded to Mr. Cutbusli, of the 
Highgate Nurseries, London. The finest specimens in his col¬ 
lection were —Monsieur Feaseh , single red, always fine; Duke 
of Wellington , double rosy-blush ; Charles Dickens , single 
blue; Brins Van Sax Weimar, fine single dark blue ; and 
Dolly Varden, single white. 
The above, along with the following, selected from amongst 
all the collections, will give a general idea of the best varieties 
exhibited : Laurens Foster, double dark blue, very fine; 
Financeur Royal, single red; Fmicus, single dark blue; Amy, 
Cavenac, and Chapeau de Cardinal, single red ; Milton, and 
Blue Mourant, fine single blue; and PucellecV Orleans , single 
white. 
Next to the Hyacinths, collections of twelve Rhododendrons, 
in ten-inch pots, formed the most important feature of the 
Show, and were exhibited in splendid condition, in Mr. 
Methven’s collection, of Stanwell Nursery, who gained the 
first prize. We noticed Grand Arab, a very striking variety, 
the trusses immensely large, brilliant scarlet, quite a rival to 
the celebrated John W aterer ; Rembrandt, fine lilac-crimson ; 
Blandyana, scarlet; Jacksonii, rose by being forced, usually 
scai let; and NLelantliuma, line largo dark crimson. 
Messrs. Cunningham, Fraser, and Co., ComleyBank, who 
were awarded the second prize, were scarcely a hair’s-breadth 
behind their more formidable rival, indeed the Judges them¬ 
selves admitted that their decision rested in favour of colour, 
there being an over proportion of light varieties. The following 
were conspicuous in their collection for fine trusses, and perfect 
shaped flowers— Nobleanum album major , Jackmanni, rosy- 
crimson ; Fulgens , scarlet; Albertus, rose, a fine sort for 
spring forcing ; Florence Nightingale , white ; Sir I. Neivton, 
cream-colour; and Mars, scarlet. 
Indian Azaleas were shown in tolerable condition, but, 
excepting two neat plants of Lateretia alba superba, and 
Stanlyana , they were not so well bloomed as they usually are 
in the south. Hard-wooded plants seldom flower so profusely 
in Scotland, even with an equal amount of care, as they do in 
the middle and south of England, owing, we presume, to a 
cloudy atmosphere, which prevents their ripening sufficiently. 
Cape Heaths w r ere not numerous, but well-grown, and nicely 
bloomed. We observed fine specimens of Melanthera, and 
Colorans superba, from Dalhousie Castle, and a splendid 
Lindleyana from Parsons Green. 
As a new feature in harmony with the Exhibition, prizes 
were given for the best twelve hardy-spring bulbs shown in 
pots. The word grown having been omitted from the Society’s 
Schedule. Many of them were, in reality, hardy, for they had 
been taken from the open ground, and potted in the morning. 
Re that as it may, the collection presented by Messrs. 
Cunningham, Fraser, and Co., which gained the first prize, 
was certainly an interesting one, they consisted of Narcissus 
minor; N. minima; Bulbocodiivm vernum; Scilla Siberica; 
S. prcecox; S. bifolia; S. bifolia major; S. bifolia jlore albo ; 
Crocus striatus, a scarce variety ; Leucojum vernum; Cycla¬ 
men ibericum, and C. ibericum fore albo. Amongst cut 
blooms of Camellias, Saccooi nova was one of the best; Sioreyii, 
Frost'd, Hendersonii, Queen Victoria, and Countess of Files- 
mere, were also very fine; the old double white Fimbriata, 
and Imbricata, were in every stand, and always good. 
There was a spirited competition for ladies hand bouquets, 
the best of which came from Mrs. Carstairs, Warriston, being 
a perfect specimen of artistical skill, but much too large for the 
purpose implied* 
A number of magnificent greenhouse plants were sent for 
exhibition, by Mr. Lockhart, Arniston, consisting of gigantic 
specimens ot Cape Heaths. Acacia prostrata, ten to twelve 
feet in circumference, loaded with flowers; and a noble plant 
of Pultenaa subumbellata , which we had occasion to notice last 
year. 
The entrance to the hall was again occupied by nursery¬ 
men’s stalls for the display of horticultural implements, seeds, 
&c. Gardeners have thereby had an ample opportunity, on 
two successive occasions, of making themselves thoroughly 
acquainted with the contents of the seed shops, which, doubt¬ 
less, the Committee will consider sufficient, so as to occupy the 
space next year with something more really instructive, and in 
better harmony with the rest of the Exhibition.— James Rae, 
i Edinburgh. 
- — 
WATERING CUTTINGS IN SAND AND 
WATER. 
I have been trying the “ Kidd” plan of striking Fuchsia 
| cuttings, and have made a little discovery which may be found 
| useful. To keep the sand moist without displacing the cuttings, 
invert over the saucer a basin of sufficient diameter, to leave a 
margin between it and the saucer. By pouring a little water 
in the narrow margin you can keep your sand damp without 
furrowing it into holes, displacing your cuttings, or wetting the 
leaves. 
I find a bellglass a good addition to the “ Kiddion ” system. 
—Gladiolus. 
FILBERTS. 
I am now looking over the number of The Cottage Gar- 
| dener for December 1857, and at page 206, I find “L. S. 
| G.” states that he is unfortunate with his Filberts, and, in 
reply, you say that if they are more than twelve feet, they are 
not productive. Now, I have two rows of them twenty feet 
high, and I gathered 46 lbs. off one tree this last year, and 
