August 17, 1889. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
803 
OTES FROM SCOTLAND. 
-- 
The Edinburgh Royal Botanic Gardens.— 
For a great many years these gardens have been an 
ornament to Edinburgh, and a source of pleasant en¬ 
joyment to multitudes of visitors ; but it is only now, 
says The Scotsman, that a worthy effort is bemg made 
to turn them fully to account as a place of education, 
not for regular students only, but for the public 
generally and the working classes in particular. Pro¬ 
fessor Bayley Balfour has already, in the few months 
that have elapsed since he became Keeper of the 
gardens, done much in the way of enabling the citizens 
generally to really enter upon the possession of the 
advantages which these noble gardens are capable of 
yielding them. It is to him in no small degree that 
those who are hard at work all the week owe the privi¬ 
lege of being able to visit the gardens on Sunday. 
And now he has started a course of Saturday evening 
lectures on botany, the object of which is to help in¬ 
telligent and inquiring men to turn their Sunday 
visits to good account, by giving them knowledge, 
suggesting ideas and matters for observation, stimu¬ 
lating inquiry, and guiding them in the way by which 
they may learn the lore that lies among the leaves and 
the flowers for those who know how to gather it. 
The first was given on Saturday last in the lecture 
hall within the gardens, and the course will be con¬ 
tinued during the present month. It is an experiment 
which ought to succeed. Far more than the 200 
who attended the first lecture should be found crowding 
to the others. Professor Balfour’s public spirit and 
zeal for the good of the people deserves warm ac¬ 
knowledgment. If we look at the matter from his 
point we shall also recognise his keen and large sense 
of duty. He stated on Saturday that, since the 
Government had arranged to keep and maintain the 
gardens as a placo for scientific research and public 
enjoyment, it might be considered part of his duty to 
give such lectures as he had just begun. In the higher 
sense it probably is his duty, as it is the duty of every 
one of us to make the best possible use of our position 
and our opportunities for benefiting our fellows, and 
brightening the lot of those around us. But in the 
narrower sense, in which duty means obligation, which 
we are expected and required to perform, and the 
neglect of which is clearly recognisable as a sin of 
omission, it does not appear that the giving of these 
lectures can be counted among the duties of the Keeper 
of the gardens. It may be hoped that working men 
will appreciate the elevated sense of duty to which 
Professor Balfour has given expression, and which most 
people would call benevolence. 
This opportunity, says the same paper, may be taken 
to say that the open'ng of the gardens on Sunday has 
been in every way a beneficial change. Large numbers 
of people have taken advantage of the opening. Many 
who rarely or never were able to visit the gardens on 
week days now enjoy a quiet stroll through them on 
Sundays, with all the delight to the eye, and the ele¬ 
vating, soothing, refining, and educative influences to 
the mind that such a stroll is attended with. As to 
the objections which certain good but somewhat pre. 
judiced persons urged against the Sunday opening of 
the gardens, nobody hears much of them now that 
their force, if they wero well founded, should be 
becoming practically felt. It does not appear that the 
Sunday visitors do injury to the plants or flowers. 
We do not hear any complaints of careless or malicious 
mischief. It is doubtful if those who put forward this 
objection were very sincere in their professed dread of 
the conduct of the Sunday visitors. If they were, they 
will now be able to satisfy themselves by inquiry that 
their dread was imaginary. The Sunday opening has, 
in fact, been a great boon to Edinburgh, and even the 
persons who at first heard of it with horror have pro¬ 
bably already got over the shock to their feelings, and 
are becoming slowly reconciled to a state of things 
which does good to many and harm to none. It may 
be hoped that Professor Bayley Balfour will receive 
encouragement enough to make it a pleasure to him to 
continue the Saturday evening lectures every summer. 
The Sunday ramble in the gardens will be more en¬ 
joyable and more instructive to those who bring with 
them ideas and knowledge obtained at the lectures. 
Royal Scottish Arboricultural Society.— 
On Tuesday, August 6th, the annual general meeting 
of this society took place at the Boyal Botanic Gardens, 
Edinburgh, Mr. McCorquodale, of Scone, presiding, in 
the absence of the president, the Earl of Hopetoun. 
In his opening address the chairman sketched at the 
outset the rise of the society, which was now in its 
thirty-sixth year, and noted the manner in which it 
had extended its influence. Still, however, there was 
room for improvement, and he urged upon all practical 
members to give the society their support. All 
true friends of forestry, as a science that was daily 
gaining prominence and popularity, could not but hail 
with the utmost satisfaction the appointment of Dr. 
Somerville to the Chair of Forestry in the University of 
Edinburgh. In the history of forestry that was the 
first appointment of the kind that had ever taken place 
in Scotland, and it augured well for the future. Dr. 
Somerville was well qualified to take the post he was 
called to fill, and they might have every confidence 
that the interest of the society would be promoted and 
the science of forestry become more and more popular 
by his appointment. When he had himself gone to 
Buchanan, the estate of the Duke of Montrose, to 
acquire a knowledge of forestry, long before the days of 
railroads, there were few opportunities for foresters 
meeting and discussing forest matters. Now these 
opportunities were very great. There was a consider¬ 
able amount of forest literature within reach. Science 
had been experimenting in many quarters. Old systems 
of rearing plantations had been tested, and, when 
found wanting, had been supplanted by new and im¬ 
proved methods. Progress had been made in the science 
of forestry such as had not been manifested in any 
other period previous to the establishment of the Royal 
Scottish Arboricultural Society. These considerations 
were worth diligent study, and afforded a fitting field 
for the labours of the society. He would take the 
liberty of offering a word of counsel, more especially 
to his younger brethren. He believed a great future 
was dawning in the country for forestry. With agri¬ 
culture growing so depressed, and land for agriculture 
falling in value year by year, and with the supplies of 
foreign timber becoming constantly circumscribed, 
landowners would soon find the need of looking more 
to the woodlands. Arboriculture, instead of being 
kept in the background as it had been in the past, 
would now of necessity take a prominent part in estate 
management, and immense tracts of waste land and 
hillside would soon bo afforested. There, then, was a 
field for experienced and talented men. Young men 
ought to study the nature and constitution of trees, 
the soils congenial to their growth, and the localities 
and climates where they had to be grown. A sound 
judgment was also requisite to determine what were 
the likely marketing prospects of the distant future, so 
that there might be judicious planting in order to 
secure the best prospects of remuneration. Oak 
coppice, for example, was not worth.cultivating nowa¬ 
days ; and since iron had taken the place of wood in 
ship-building, oak timber was not a profitable crop. 
Again, many kinds of the newer coniferous trees were 
not to be recommended as plantation trees. After fifty 
years’ experience in the rearing of the Abies Douglasii 
tree, he had no hesitation in saying that on a suitable 
soil and situation it would become the most profitable 
plantation tree in this country. Referring to the com¬ 
mercial outlook of the timber trade, both at home and 
abroad, he said that.it could not be denied that since 
the check experienced at the time when iron took the 
placeof woodin ship-building, theconsumption of timber 
all over the world had been rapidly increasing. It was 
then believed by many that the market for timber was 
irretrievably ruined, but that prophecy had been en¬ 
tirely falsified. The consumption of wood all over the 
world had risen to such proportions in recent years as 
to cause serious apprehensions as to the sufficiency of 
the existing supplies of timber for a distant future. If 
the supply of foreign timber were seriously curtailed, 
our whole supply of home Pine wood that was fit for 
sleepers would in a few years be exhausted. It was 
high time that the Government and extensive landed 
proprietors were bestirring themselves to see to the 
extension of their plantations and afforesting largely 
their waste lands. If our home woods were exhausted, 
and a timber famine occurring, it might prove a very 
serious affair for the country ; for it would require at 
least a generation to have our forests replenished and 
occupied with timber fit for the immediate wants of the 
country. 
The usual routine business having been transacted, 
the members dined together at the "Waterloo Hotel, Dr. 
Cleghorn, of Stravethie, presiding, and later in the 
evening between thirty and forty members left the 
Waverley Station for their annual excursion, which 
occupied two days, and included visits to the estates in 
“The Dukeries” of the Duke of Portland, Welbeck ; 
the Duke of Newcastle, Clumber; Earl Man vers, 
Thoresby ; and Lord Saville, Rufford. 
The Turiff Flower Show. — The annual 
show and competition of the Turiff Horticultural 
Society—a society, it may be noted, that is one 
of the most important in Aberdeenshire, and embraces 
a large tract of country—was held on the 8th inst. at 
Turiff. The show was opened by Sir Robert Aber¬ 
crombie, Bart., of Forglen, who spoke in eulogistic 
terms of the splendid display, and thought the horti¬ 
culturist brought as much energy and perseverance to 
bear in the cultivation of flowers as did the agricul¬ 
turist in the rearing of his stock. He also considered 
that the annual competitions were the means of doing 
good to the poor man as well as to the rich, in furthering 
a taste for that which was beautiful, also in creating a 
friendly and healthy rivalry between both amateurs and 
professionals, and he concluded by briefly declaring the 
exhibition open. Mr. Grieve, North of Scotland Bank, 
proposed a vote of thanks to Sir Robert for his kind¬ 
ness, and Mr. Mann, the courteous secretary, presented 
Lady Abercrombie with the first prize bouquet, which 
she gratefully accepted. The number of entries were 
rather below those of last year, caused by the absence 
of exhibits from Towie-Barclay and Ardmiddle Houses, 
owing to the recent family affliction at both of them. 
Considering this, there was still a large and beautiful 
display. Pot plants were fully up to the average, 
while fruit, owing to the peculiarities of the season, 
varied a good deal, some excellent stands being shown 
while others were of indifferent quality. Cut flowers 
showed a marked improvement on last year’s and some 
nice bouquets and decorated baskets were shown. The 
whole of the vegetables were excellent, some splendid 
Onions, Leeks, Potatos, &c., being shown. The 
principal prize-takers in the professional classes were: 
for pot plants—Forglen House, Hatton Castle, Delgaty 
Castle, Craigston Castle, &c.; for cut flowers—Delgaty 
Castle, Hatton Castle, and Forglen House ; for fruit— 
Delgarty Castle and Hatton Castle ; and for vegetables 
—Hatton Castle, Craigston Castle, and Eden Castle. 
In the amateur sections : for pot plants—Mrs. Simpson, 
Clifton House ; Mrs. William Fowlie, High Street; 
Mr. Rankine, Turiff; and Mrs. Duncan, Hallhill. For 
cut flowers — Mr. AllaD, Templand ; Mr. Burns, 
Schoolhouse, Ardmiddle ; Mr. Grieve, North of 
Scotland Bank ; Mr. George Smith, Balmellie Street; 
Mr. Dingwall, Mahon ; Mr. Murray, Pittendreigh. 
For fruit—Mr. Murray, Pittendreigh ; Mr. Grieve and 
Mrs. Duncan. For vegetables—Mr. Dingwall, Mahon ; 
Mr. Murray, Mrs. Duncan, Messrs. George Smith and 
William Kelman, Balmellie Street, Turriff. Mr. James 
Wood, Forglen Gardens, gained the society’s prize for 
the best model of flower garden and conservatory. In 
the specials for the best bouquet of wild flowers by 
boys or girls under fourteen years of age, Maggie 
Gordon, Chapel Street, was first, and Maggie Smith, 
Balmellie Street, was second. A very choice display 
of Roses was shown by Mr. Raeburn, seedsman, Banff. 
In addition to the ordinary prizes given by the society, 
there were thirty-four extra ones in the professional, 
and twenty-six in the amateur classes, and fifteen open 
to all, being seventy-five extra prizes altogether. The 
special prizes for window-grown plants were gained by 
Messrs. William Pirie, Fife Street, and Alexander 
Pirie, Market Street. A splendid fungus about 15 ins. 
in diameter was on exhibition from Forglen House. 
The working committee, under the very energetic 
secretary, Mr. Mann, had as usual everything ex¬ 
cellently arranged. A large number of persons visited 
the show during the day. 
Royal Horticultural Society of Aber¬ 
deen. —The acting directors of this society met re¬ 
cently in the secretary’s office, Bridge Street, Aberdeen, 
Mr. Alexander Robson, vice-president, presiding. It 
was unanimously agreed that the Duke and Duchess of 
Fife be asked to open the grand floral fete on the 22nd 
inst. A detailed programme of the illuminations and 
display of fireworks, which is to be given by Messrs. 
Shirras & Sons, Aberdeen, was submitted and approved 
of. The band of the 3rd Volunteer Battalion of the 
Gordon Highlanders was engaged to supply music, and 
Mr. William Duncan, Aberdeen, was appointed pur¬ 
veyor. 
Lilium auratum at Kingcausie.— There is, 
at present, to be seen in the greenhouse at Kingcausie, 
near the city of Aberdeen, a fine Lilium auratum in 
full bloom. Two bulbs, not picked ones, are growing 
in an 8-in. pot, and together they have a total of 
thirty-nine flowers, each averaging 12 ins. from tip to 
tip. Its rich perfume and finely-spotted flowers are 
charming, and it is to be regretted they do not last 
longer. Mr. Ross, the gardener, deserves credit for 
his success in their culture.— Alpha. 
