September 20, 1890. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
45 
In the way of miscellaneous collections, Messrs. 
Dickson, Brown & Tait, seedsmen, Manchester, had a 
remarkably fine collection of Apples, and a large 
quantity of hardy flowers of various kinds. Messrs. 
Dickson & Robinson, seedsmen, Manchester, had 
hardy flowers of various kinds, some fine Tomatos, &c. 
Messrs. W. G. Caldwell, Knutsford, showed Dahlias in 
great variety. Mr. John Robson, Altrincham, had 
Pompon, Single and Cactus Dahlias in large bunches. 
Mr. A. J. Bruce, nurseryman, Chorlton-cum-Hardy, 
showed Palms, Ferns, and zonal Pelargoniums, arranged 
in an effective group. Messrs. W. Clibran & Sons, 
Altrincham, exhibited hardy flowers, very fine single 
Begonias, and insecticides. Mr. R. H. Poynter, seeds¬ 
man, Taunton, staged cut spikes of Gladioli. Messrs. 
Ryder & Son, Sale, had a good lot of Pompon and 
decorative Dahlias in bunches, and beautiful examples 
of the white Mignon Aster, which was awarded a Cer¬ 
tificate of Merit ; and Mr. T. Statter staged bunches of 
Madresfield Court and Muscat of Alexandria Grapes. 
Mr. R. Shakeshaft, nurseryman, Lymm, had twelve 
blooms of a white self show Dahlia, named Ivory 
White, very promising and highly commended ; and 
Messrs. Harkness & Sons showed a semi-double decora¬ 
tive Dahlia, John Burn, rich deep scarlet, and highly 
commended for border decoration. 
Royal Caledonian Horticultural. 
The annual exhibition of the leading Scottish Horti¬ 
cultural Society was held in the Waverley Market 
on Wednesday and Thursday of last week, and, 
favoured with fine weather, an admirable display of 
fruits and vegetables, a fair one of autumn flowers, and 
a capital attendance of visitors on both days, was in 
every way a success. There are few buildings so 
suitable, structurally, or situated so conveniently, for a 
flower show as the Waverley Market, and the society 
is fortunate in being able to use such a place for its 
exhibitions. May it long continue to do so, despite 
present rumours of its possible conversion to railway 
purposes ! We have seen a number of good fruitshows 
in Edinburgh, included among them being some, such 
as the Internationals, which were larger in extent than 
the display of last week, but were hardly prepared to 
see such high quality as prevailed upon this occasion 
among the fruits grown under glass. In former years 
size was the predominant feature, more especially in 
regard to Grapes, and with the bulky bunches then 
thought necessary to secure prizes with, there was 
generally a degree of coarseness and want of finish, that 
was not compensated for by mere weight. What a 
change has come over the scene in a few years ! How 
grandly now does common-sense prevail, and quality 
rule as the recognised standard of merit! The Grapes 
shown on this occasion were superb, being for the most 
part both large enough to command the admiration of 
the uninstructed, and finished to a degree of refinement 
that afforded nothing but pleasure to the connoisseur. 
The collections of fruit, too, were exceptionally fine, 
and while the exhibition remained open were a constant 
source of admiration to the visitors. 
There were five competitors with twelve dishes of 
fruit—the leading class—and it was thought that Mr. 
Mclndoe, of Hutton Hall, Guisboro’, who was so strong 
at the Crystal Palace the previous week, would secure 
the premier prize, but he obtained second honours only, 
the premier award going to Mr. George Mackinnon, 
Melville Castle, Lasswade, who staged a superb collec¬ 
tion, consisting of splendidly-finished examples of 
Muscat of Alexandria, Black Alicante, Black Hamburgh, 
and Gros Maroc Grapes, very fine Royal George and 
Dymond Peaches, Elruge Nectarines, Souvenir du 
. Congres Pears, Moor Park Apricots, Gascoigne’s Glory 
of England Apples (a very handsome dish), Kirke’s 
Plum, White Marseilles Figs, &c. Mr. Mclndoe, who 
was second, had a fine lot, but was weaker than Mr. 
Mackinnon with Grapes; while Mr. Hunter, of 
Lambton Castle, who was third, was strong with 
Grapes, but weak in some of his other dishes. The 
unsuccessful competitors were Mr. McIntyre, The Glen, 
and Mr. McKelvie, Broxmouth Park, but both staged 
most creditable collections. For eight dishes Mr. 
Mclndoe came in first, showing a grand Pine, good 
black and white Grapes, Grand Duke Constantine 
Apples, Princess of Wales Peaches, Souvenir du Congrfes 
Pears, &c. Mr. McKelvie came in a good second, and 
Mr. D. Murray, Culzean Castle, a very close third. 
The hardy fruit classes were hardly so good as usual, 
but nevertheless contained some unusually fine samples. 
For a collection the awards went to Mr. J. Day, 
Galloway House ; Mr. ,J. Brown, Abercairney ; and 
Mr. L. Dow, Newbyth. In another class for twelve 
dishes Mr. Mclndoe secured the premier award with 
some remarkably fine pot-grown Apples and Pears, 
among others, Mr. Hunter coming in second, and 
Mr. G. Mackinnon third, the last named having a 
superb dish of the Kentish Loddington Seedling. 
Coming next to the Grape classes, the first to claim 
attention is the competition with six bunches, in which 
Mr. McHattie, Newbattle Abbey, came off with flying 
colours, showing two splendidly finished bunches 
each of Muscat of Alexandria, Black Hamburgh, and 
Lady Downes. Mr. W. Murray, Park Hall, Polmont, 
was a good second, with grand Alicantes, Muscats, and 
Alnwick Seedling, ; and Mr. D. Murray, Culzean, was 
a good third. In a heavy competition with four 
bunches, Mr. George Mackinnon again came to the 
front, taking the first prize with splendidly finished 
Muscats, Gros Maroc, Alicante, and Mrs. Pince’s 
Black Muscat. A rising young gardener, Mr. A. Kirk, 
of Alloa, was second with a very taking lot, consisting 
of Gros Colmar, Gros Maroc, Madresfield Court, and 
Alicante ; and Mr. T. W. McHattie was a close 
third. Mr. McHattie also staged the best two bunches 
of Muscat of Alexandria, and of Black Hamburgh, 
both very fine. The best single bunch of Muscat came 
from another promising young gardener, Mr. G. W. 
Pirie, Sunderland Hall, Selkirk ; while Mr. A. Kirk, 
Alloa, had the best coloured bunch, a small one of 
Cooper’s Black, the best Black Hamburghs, and Gros 
Colmars ; Mr. G. Mackinnon, the finest Alicantes ; Mr. 
W. Murray, Park Hall, the best Aluwick Seedlings, 
and Mr. John Caldwell, Langholm, the best Lady 
Downes. The best black Grape not otherwise named 
was Gros Maroc, from Mr. J. Day ; and the best white, 
Golden Hamburgh, came from Mr. G. Mackinnon. 
The Peach, Nectarine, Apricot, Apple, Pear and 
Plum classes were all well contested, and with fine 
quality fruit for the season. With one or two excep¬ 
tions, the Peaches and Nectarines staged were unnamed 
by the exhibitors, and therefore of no interest to 
anyone but their owners. Mr. Mclndoe secured the 
three first prizes for Pines, and Mr. McIntyre, The 
Glen, had the best Figs. Mr. Mclndoe also had the 
best collection of Plums, while the best dish of Gages 
came from Mr. J. Bowman, Pittendriech. Mr. J. Day 
had the finest half-dozen varieties of dessert Pears, and 
Mr. D. Murray the finest dozen varieties of Apples. 
The single dish classes of named varieties were all good, 
but of no special interest. 
The display of vegetables as usual, here, was an 
exceedingly good one, there being strong competitions 
in all the classes, and the quality high throughout. 
The two best collections of twelve and six dishes 
respectively, came from Mr. W. Harper, gardener, 
Bankfoot, Perth, and Mr. Peter Robertson, Hartrigge 
House, the former having especially fine Aylesbury 
Prize Red Celery, Winningstadt Cabbage, Renton’s 
Monarch Leeks, the Duchess Pea, and Eclipse Cauli¬ 
flowers ; and the last-named exceedingly good white 
Celery and Leeks, Cauliflowers, and Onions. The 
single classes were too numerous to refer to here in 
detail, but specially deserve high commendation en bloc. 
The collections of Salading were very interesting on 
account of the number of things shown, but the 
quality was only indifferent. Mr. G. Mackinlay, 
Blackwood, Lesmahagow, with some twenty different 
articles, was first. The display of Onions was probably 
unique, but the judging was a mystery to all but those 
who made the awards. The first and second prizes 
went to Mr. Thomas Wilkins, gardener to Lady 
Theodora Guest, Inwood House, Dorset, and Mr. 
Bowerman, Hackwood Park, Hants., for immensely 
large and solid specimens of Ailsa Craig, and the 
third was awarded to Mr. J. Cocker, Stranraer, 
for what would have been considered a very good dish 
in an ordinary competition, but bore no comparison to 
the samples sent by Mr. N. Kneller, of Malshanger, 
which weighed 26£ lbs., and were passed over for some 
unaccountable reason. Mr. Inwood sent also for exhi¬ 
bition some very remarkable examples of Rousham Park 
Hero, Ailsa Craig, Cocoa Nut, and the Lord Keeper. 
There were fair competitions in the plant classes, but 
in this section the greatest interest was found in the 
groups, competitive and otherwise. For a large group 
open to Edinburgh nurserymen, Messrs. R. B. Laird & 
Sons took the highest award, with a bold and effective 
collection, in which early-flowering Chrysanthemums 
and Lilies were very conspicuous features. The same 
firm also secured the highest honours for four Palms, 
twelve table plants—a very pretty lot—and for a dozen 
Chrysanthemums, well grown and flowered ; and for 
twenty-four bunches of Chrysanthemums. For a table 
of plants, Mr. R. Grossart, gardener to W. R. Buchanan, 
Esq., Oswald House, easily beat Mr. McIntyre, of 
Darlington, with a light and neat arrangement of 
flowering and fine-foliaged plants in well-balanced 
proportions. Messrs. Ireland & Thomson contributed 
a very fine group of handsomely coloured Crotons, 
Dracosnas and other fine-foliaged plants, enlivened with 
Liliums speciosum and auratum ; and also a capital 
table of tuberous Begonias. Messrs. Dickson & Co. 
had a capital table of mixed stove and greenhouse 
plants, and hardy border flowers ; and Messrs. W. & 
J. Birkenhead, Sale, had a fine representative collec¬ 
tion of hardy and exotic Ferns. Messrs. Dobbie & Co., 
Rothesay, put up a very attractive stand of their fine 
strains of Yiolas, Marigolds, Asters, Phloxes, Dahlias, 
&c., and very fine samples of Invincible White and 
Select Red Celeries. A singularly bright and effective 
arrangement of cut hardy herbaceous flowers and 
Roses was the contribution of Messrs. Cocker & Sons, 
of Aberdeen. Mr. J. Forbes, Hawick, had a capital 
lot of hardy florists’ flowers, including Hollyhocks, 
Pentstemons, Violas, Phloxes, &e. ; and Mr. M. Camp¬ 
bell, High Blantyre, had a fine selection of Carnations 
and Picotees, and a number of flowering plants of the 
new White Carnation, Mrs. Muir, showing the variety 
to be of fine quality, and exceedingly free blooming. 
Messrs. James Dickson & Sons had a very fine group of 
hardy Conifers, &c., and with a dozen specimens also 
secured a first prize ; Messrs. R. B. Laird & Sons being 
a very close second. From Messrs. Thomas Methven 
& Sons came a large group of Lilies and Begonias, 
mixed with smaller stove and greenhouse plants—and 
very attractive. Messrs. Laing & Mather, of Kelso, 
had a very bright stand of hardy border Carnations, 
Hollyhocks, &e., well grown blooms very neatly shown. 
In the competition classes, Mr. John Paterson, 
Milbank, secured leading honours with stove and 
greenhouse plants, Heaths, and Orchids; Mr. R. 
Grossart, with a specimen Palm and specimen Orchid 
and six foliage plants ; Mr. J. Napier, Murrayfield, 
with Ferns ; Mr. A. Laing, Salisbury Green, with a 
tree Fern. 
The cut-flower classes included the best display of 
Hollyhocks seen in Edinburgh for some time, Messrs. 
Kerr & Sons, Kalemouth, being first; and Messrs. 
Laing & Mather second among nurserymen ; and Mr. 
R. Rae, Sunlaw, first among amateurs. The best 
thirty spikes of Gladioli came from Messrs. Stuart & 
Mein, of Kelso ; and the best Roses in three classes 
from Messrs. Cocker & Sons, Aberdeen. 
In the afternoon the judges were entertained at 
dinner by the society at the Waterloo Hotel, Treasurer 
Clapperton presiding, and Mr. Thomson, Clovenfords, 
acting as vice-chairman. 
National Chrysanthemum. — Sept. Hk/i A- 11th. 
The first Chrysanthemum show of the season was held 
in the Royal Aquarium on Wednesday and Thursday 
of the above dates. The weather was splendid on both 
days, and was so far advantageous in that respect, but 
the day atmosphere of the Aquarium told severely on 
the cut flowers, particularly single Dahlias and Roses. 
The leading exhibits were Chrysanthemums and 
Dahlias, but Gladioli, Roses, and herbaceous plants 
were also noticeable features of the show. 
The first prize for a group of Chrysanthemums was 
taken by Messrs. John Laing & Sons, Forest Hill. 
The group was arranged in the form of a semi-circle, 
and was very regularly graduated from the front to the 
back. Madame C. Desgranges, Mrs. Hawkins, Mrs. J. 
R. Pitcher, and other varieties were conspicuous in it. 
The second prize went to Messrs. Reid & Bornemann, 
Trewsbury Road, Sydenham ; and Mr. N. Davis, 
Lilford Road, Camberwell, was third. Mr. R. Owen, 
Castle Hill Nursery, Maidenhead, took the first prize 
for a collection of cut Chrysanthemums, showing sixty 
varieties, chiefly of Pompons, set up with their foliage. 
A large Japanese variety named Mons. R. Bahaut, 
something in the way of Comte de Germiny, was 
noticeable for its earliness. Mr. N. Davis was 
second, and Mr. E. F. Such, Maidenhead, came 
in third. Mr. Joseph Blackburne, gardener to John 
Scott, Jun., Esq., Elmstead Grange, Chislehurst, came 
out strong in the classes for cut flowers of one variety, 
taking first prizes for twelve blooms of Madame Des¬ 
granges, twelve of G. Wermig, six bunches of Madame 
Desgranges, and six bunches of G. Wermig, the flowers 
of which, in all four cases, were noticeable for their 
great size and flue effect. Mr. Peter Blair, gardener to 
the Duke of Sutherland, Trentham, was a good second 
for twelve blooms of Madame Desgranges. Mr. E. 
Vince, gardener to the London Cemetery Co., High- 
