176 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
November 16, 1895. 
THE EVE OF THE EDINBURGH SHOW. 
“And once again the scene was changed,” and changed 
it will be with a wonderfully effective result. Picture 
to yourselves the noble solitude of the giant space 
within the confines of the Waverley Market when 
empty. In Prince’s Street, Edinburgh, beneath the 
pavement level, the erection of the Waverley 
Market, as an effective and artistic method of filling 
up a hole, bears striking tribute to the genius of the 
architect who conceived the plan. The vastness of 
the interior, surveyed in the early morn of a chill 
November day in all its glorified emptiness, con¬ 
jures up in the imagination the possibilities of the 
final aspect and appearance of the show that is to 
be, and which in the course of the next twenty-four 
hours or so will be ready—first, for the judges' 
critical eye, and later on for the approbation of the 
British public in general, and the citizens of Modern 
Athens in particular. The janitors of the Waverley 
Market in all their native glory (not of kilts and 
petticoats, but in the gorgeous raiment of Corporation 
livery) are the early birds that are sought by the 
early comers. Distant exhibitors arrive by the morn¬ 
ing trains. Men who are bringing the heavier spec- 
mens of floriculture in van-loads begin to congregate. 
The plants are first deposited in their proper 
sections to await the wizard touch of the master 
hand in the work of grouping. At Edinburgh 
shows the art of grouping is always a feature, and 
reaches a very high standard—firstly, because of the 
excellent scope there is for a good display, and 
secondly, because of the keen competition, very 
few but the best men enter the lists. To-day, then, 
is the eve of the show. Towards noon the tramp of 
busy feet increases, and the prospect of an excellent 
show is “ rosy,” indeed. The space for exhibits has 
been in great demand, and many applications have 
been refused. Moreover, the popularity of the 
show is evident by the extensive demand for 
schedules, and there is every reason to anticipate 
another great success, always provided, of course, 
that the weather keeps favourable. A few new 
classes for vases and tables of Chrysanthemums 
have been added to the prize list since last year, and 
they undoubtedly will have an effect of adding to 
the attractiveness of the exhibition. 
An army of carpenters are at work with their 
shelving and staging, under the personal direction 
of Mr. Moncur himself (Messrs. Mackenzie and Mon- 
cur, of Edinburgh and Glasgow), who personates to 
no small degree the stage manager of a Drury Lane 
play. With his troop of workmen he attacks a 
floor space of any prescribed area the reader may be 
pleased to imagine, and in less time than it takes to 
write it the lengths of staging go together, sometimes 
rising to a considerable height where a given effect 
is to be attained, and away goes Mr. Moncur to re¬ 
peat the operation elsewhere until ten o’clock at 
night, w T hen he will withdraw his army and survey 
the market area covered with staging in readiness for 
their burdens of gay winter blossoms which they are 
to bear for the rest of the week 
Mr. J H. Murray. 
Hand in hand with these knights of the hammer 
and saw come the art decorators of Messrs. Cran¬ 
ston and Elliott, to whom is intrusted the decora¬ 
tion of the market, and who always display an excel¬ 
lent taste in the draperies and art stuffs falling 
festoon-like from the balcony rails. These beautiful 
fabrics have their origin in the firm's vast new ware¬ 
house in Prince's Street, and the noble pillars 
supporting the roof of the market in parallel 
lines receive a similar treatment, so that the whole 
scheme of decoration by draperies and trophies is 
uniform and harmonious. Mr. Grant is the director 
of this department and does his work well. 
These, however, are minor items in the sea of 
details of the management of the Scottish Horticul¬ 
tural Society, under whose auspices this show is held, 
and which the society sets itself with invariable 
success to accomplish. The society, which dates 
back to 1S77 has its headquarters at 5, St. 
Andrew’s Square, Edinburgh, and asks but a modest 
half-crown for its annual subscription. As a horti¬ 
cultural society it has undoubtedly done more, age 
for age, in the interests of horticulture than any 
other extant; not by reason of its favourable 
location in the birth-country of gardening, but 
by reason of the thoroughness with which their pro¬ 
gramme is carried out year by year. Since its 
inception many illustrious names in the profession 
have passed the presidential chair. This year the 
seat of honour is occupied by R.W. E. Murray, Esq , 
of Blackford House, Edinburgh. Mr. Murray, who 
Mr. R. W. E. Murray. 
is senior partner in the well-known house of Messrs. 
Murray and Todd, has closely identified himself 
with the cultivation of the Chrysanthemum, and as 
an amateur grower has carried all before him. Last 
year he competed among professional gardeners, 
and was successful in carrying off amongst other 
prizes premier honours for the vase of twelve 
blooms. Mr. Murray has the proud distinction of 
being the first amateur that has had the honour of 
occupying the presidential chair, and the honour sits 
well upon him. Always genial and courteous, he 
possesses the rare qualities of leadership so necessary 
to a leader of men. Mr. Murray embodies the ideal 
president, and rules with a firm yet kindly hand. 
The society’s income is a large one ; its policy is 
to treat the public with liberality rather than a 
stinted generosity, and to provide these shows for 
the delectation of those who come to study, to learn 
or merely for the sight to see ; they are one and all 
welcome, and find ample to instruct or amuse as the 
case may be. All this means a big “ gate." Mr. A. 
Mackenzie, the treasurer, fills an important and by no 
means a perfunctory post. He is nursery manager 
to Messrs. Thomas Methven & Sons. He has ably 
looked after the funds of the society and can now 
boast of a balance of £600 on the right side. He 
has been connected with the society from its earliest 
date, and has acted for many years as pursebearer. 
In the necessary work of organisation and the 
multitudinous details of an extensive society such as 
this, perhaps the most important official and certainly 
Mr. Robert Laird. 
the most necessary one is the secretary. In Mr. 
Robert Laird the society is fortunate in having 
secured an officer who works through the year with a 
wholeheartedness that provides an excellent example 
to those about him, and to-day he is able to watch the 
crowning feature of the year in the Annual Exhibi¬ 
tion of the society. Coming from an old stock of 
horticulturists, Mr. Laird commenced his appren¬ 
ticeship in 1875 with the latefirm of Downie & Laird t 
and later on was for some time engaged with the 
General Herticultural Company, Limited, of which 
the late Mr. John Wills was manager. He after¬ 
wards returned to Edinburgh in 1885, and has since 
been the manager of the seed and office department 
in the well-known firm of Messrs. R. B. Laird & 
Sons. Mr. Laird worthily follows the footsteps of 
his late father and directs the show in a manner 
entirely satisfactory to everyone with whom he comes 
in touch. He is a firm believer in progress with the 
times, whether it pertains to horticulture or any 
other sphere of life, and to that one word progress 
much of the success of the Scottish Horticultural 
Society is due. 
Then the Assistant Secretary with his arm full 
of books and papers. Mr. J. H. Murray is ex¬ 
ceedingly popular in his department and con¬ 
scientiously prepares the groundwork upon which 
his chief proceeds to build his superstructure; in 
other words Mr. Murray gets full credit at the hands 
of Mr. Laird for the useful and indespensable 
assistance which he renders. His photo appears 
at the bottom of the first column of this page. 
The General Council of Management embodies a 
wealth of names and as a body is to be congratulated 
upon the even course it pursues in the administration 
of the society’s affairs. The more important work 
is carried out by three sub-committees, namely, 
the financial committee: judges and reports 
committee; and the sub committee for the halls 
and arrangements. The first-named is summoned 
by “Convener” Todd of the firm of Messrs. M. 
Todd & Company, Art Florists, and is responsible 
for all the details of advertising, publishing and 
sale of tickets : railway arrangements, provision of 
music and so forth. The judges and reports com¬ 
mittee have all the arrangements connected with the 
prize schedule, the appointment of judges and the 
preparation of the various reports. Mr. Alex. 
Milne, whose portrait we also publish, is the Con¬ 
vener and very ably fills the duties which that post 
necessitates. Mr. Milne is the well-known senior part¬ 
ner of Messrs. Dickson & Son,of Hanover Street,Edin¬ 
burgh. The halls and arrangements committee have 
perhaps the most arduous work of all. This section 
is under the directorship of Mr. David P. Laird. It 
has charge of the preparation and decoration of th 
market hall, lighting, heating, and the arrangement 
of exhibits, besides the important work of clearing 
the hall after the show is over. An immense 
responsibility belongs to this latter work by reason 
of the fact that under the tenets of the municipality 
the bi-weekly produce market is held here in the 
early hours of Saturday morning, notwithstanding 
