September 12, 1903. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
783 
Edinburgh Autumn Flower Show. 
September 9th and 10th. 
The annual autumn show of the Royal Caledonian Horticul¬ 
tural Society was held, as usual, in the Waverley Market, Edin¬ 
burgh, under very favourable auspices as to weather. The num¬ 
ber of entries fell a little short of last year, but that might 
have been expected after such an unfavourable season. The 
show, notwithstanding, was considered by those competent to 
judge to be one of the most effective ever held by the society. 
Hardy herbaceous plants and florists’ flowers generally were in 
great abundance, wonderfully fine, and helped to create a show 
worthy of going a long journey to see. The nurserymen made a 
strong effort, and both by their numbers and the superior 
character of the exhibits they staged contributed very largely 
to the making of a splendid show. All these non-competitive 
exhibits and their contents will be found detailed under that 
heading. Punctually at 11 a.m. the judges commenced their 
difficult task of adjudicating the awards, as the competition was 
keen in many of the classes. Mr. T. Murray-Thomson, S.S.C.T., 
secretary and treasurer, had a very busy time in carrying out 
complicated arrangements, to the great satisfaction of exhibitors, 
visitors, and all concerned. 
The class for a table of dessert fruit, 10 ft. by 
4g ft., decorated with plants in pots or cut flowers 
(Orchids excluded), brought three very fine entries. The premier 
honour was secured by Mr. J. H. Goodacre, the gardener to the 
Earl of Harrington, Elvaston Castle, Derby, who had finely 
finished Muscat of Alexandria, Black Hamburgh, Madresfield 
Court, and Chasselas Grapes; his Pears, Peaches, Apples, 
Nectarines, Melons, and Plums were also in splendid condi¬ 
tion. The flowers chiefly employed were Montbretias, Francoa 
Racemosa, Gypsophila, and Fuchsia triphylla, with long-leaved 
grasses. The exhibition of fruit took 106^ points and 15 points 
for decoration. The second award was taken by Mr. D. Kydd, 
gardener to Lord Elphinston, Musselburgh, who had fine Muscat 
of Alexandria, Appley Towers, Gros Maroc, and Cannanhall 
Muscat Grapes ; his Pears, Peaches, and Nectarines were also 
fine ; he obtained 90g points for fruit and 25g points for decora¬ 
tion. The third award went to Mr. W. Smith, gardener to the 
Earl of Stair, K.T., Oxenford, who had 86i points for fruit 
and 211 points for decoration. Mr. J. H. Goodacre also carried 
ofl the leading award for a collection of ten dishes of fruit (not 
more than two dishes of Grapes). His Muscat of Alexandria 
and Madresfield Grapes were finely finished ; Apples, Pears, 
Peaches, Nectarines, Pineapple, Melon, and Plums were also 
excellent. Mr. James Day, gardener to the Earl of Galloway, 
Galloway, Garlieston, secured the premier honour for a col¬ 
lection of 12 dishes of hardy fruits confined to Scotland. His 
Peaches, Nectarines, Apples, and Plums were very fine. Mir. 
J. H. Goodacre again came to the front with a collection of 12 
dishes of fruit grown in an Orchid house. His Apples, Pears, 
Peaches, Nectarines, and Plums made an imposing display. 
Apple Gascoigne’s Scarlet made a perfect picture. Mr. R. 
Greenlaw, gardener to H. J. Younger, Esq., D.L., Benmore, 
Argyle, took the second place with a good exhibit. 
Some excitement was caused over the class for six bunches 
of Grapes in at least three varieties ; the leading honours were 
carried off by Messrs. D. and W. Buchanan, Forth Vineyard, 
Kippen, Stirling, with 49£ points, losing only 2£- of the pos¬ 
sible number of points. Their bunches of Alicante, Muscat of 
Alexandria, and Alnwick Seedling were simply grand and well 
finished. The second prize was taken by Mr. James Beisant, 
gardener to Mrs. George Armitstead, Castle Huntly, Longforgan, 
who had 47^ points for smaller but very shapely bunches. The 
third award was secured by Mr. W. J. Green, gardener to Sir 
C. M. Palmer, Bart., M.P., Loftus, with 44g points. His Gros 
Maroc and Muscat of Alexandria were grand. Mr. J. H. Good- 
acre was to the fore in the class for four bunches of Grapes, 
staging fine samples of Muscat of Alexandria, Madresfield 
Court, etc. Mr. Alexander Smith, gardener to Mme. Stuart, 
Convent Gardens, Roehampton, took the lead for a collection 
of 12 varieties of Apples, showing some fruits of handsome size, 
including Peasgood’s Nonsuch, and Roeklinville. Mr. D. 
Gibson, gardener to Mrs. Johnstone, Coombe Cottage, Kingston- 
on-Thames, who had a very evenly selected lot, secured second 
prize. Mr. R. M. Whiting, Credenhill, Hereford, was third. 
In none of these cases were the fruits ripe. The Malcolm 
Dunn Memorial Medal in Horticulture for a collection of Apples 
grown in Scotland was secured by Mr. R. G. Sinclair, Congalton 
Gardens, Drem, who had a very evenly selected lot. Mr. James 
Day was second. Mr. David Murray, gardener to the Marquis 
of Ailsa, Culzean Castle, Maybole, was a very good third. 
There were no less than 11 entries. 
Vegetables. 
The exhibits of this class of garden produce were very fine. 
The leading honours for a collection of 12 kinds of vegetables 
were carried off by Mr. James Gibson, gardener to R. W. 
Hudson, Esq., Danesfield, Great Marlow, Bucks, who had 61 
points, being 6g in excess of any other. Mr. W. Harker, Tullie- 
belton, Bankfoot, was second with 54^ points. Mr. R. T. Rae, 
gardener to Major Ross Kerr, Sunlaws, came in third with 
52-^ points. 
Miscellaneous Exhibits. 
Messrs. R. B. Laird and Sons, Ltd., Pinkhill Nurseries, Mar- 
rayfield, Midlothian, exhibited an immense group^ set up in a 
very original manner. The superficial area of it was 30 ft. by 
30 ft. A magnificent Phoenix rupicola had a spread of 22 ft. ; 
cocos nlumosa stood 15 ft. high ; the feathery sprays of Bamboo 
varied from 4 ft. to 10 ft. in height, and added greatly to the 
graceful character of the whole group. The flowering plants con¬ 
sisted of varieties of Lilium speciosum (lancifolium), including 
such handsome varieties as L. s. rubrum, L. s. Melpomene, L. s. 
album, L. auratum, Allamandas, Rhodochiton, and a subsidiary 
group of retarded Azalea mollis in full bloom, a very unusual 
feature of the Edinburgh show. Colour was also furnished by 
the usual assortment of Crotons, Dracaenas, Ficus radicus 
variegata, and Selaginellas, the two latter being arranged as a 
covering or draping to masses of virgin cork. This fine group 
was a centre of attraction. The Pinkhill firm also had a splendid 
group of 150 species and varieties of evergreen trees and shrubs 
grown at the Pinkhill Nurseries. 
Messrs. Dickson and Co., 1, Waterloo Place, Edinburgh, had 
a large and very effective group of plants on the north side of the 
market. Bamboos occupied the centre, together with a large 
number of tall plants of Vitis Coignetiae, whose leaves colour up 
so splendidly in late summer and early autumn. These were 
grown in really very small pots. Eulalia japonica zebrina, 
although grown in 32-sized pots, was over 6 ft. in height. 
Another ornamental vine, namely, Vitis vinifera purpurea, was 
notable far the rich dark purple colour of its foliage. Palms 
included well-grown specimens of Kentia fosteriana, Cocos 
Weddeliana, and Hyophorbe. Numerous Blue Gum trees were 
inserted in the group, and many other subjects. Undoubtedly 
the most interesting and attractive feature of the group was the 
new zonal Pelargonium, Coronation Gem. The plants were of 
dwarf and sturdy habit, well clothed with dark-zoned leaves, 
and simply laden with large trusses of rich salmon and scarlet 
double flowers. For greenhouse decoration an' 1 pot work sene- 
rally it is an acquisition, and certain to take the eye of market 
gardeners, private gardeners, and florists generally when put 
into commerce. 
Messrs. J. Methven and Sons, Prince’s Street, Edinburgh, 
exhibited a group of flowering and foliage plants, the latter in¬ 
cluding tall Cocos plumosa, Acer negundo, Crotons, Dracaenas, 
and other useful subjects. Early flowering Chrysanthemums, 
Clematis in variety, Cannas, and Lilies were amongst the lead¬ 
ing features of the flowering plants. The Lilies were only ft. 
high, and included Lilium speciosum, L. s. rubrum, L. s. album, 
L. s. Kraetzeri, with a long dark green ray at the’ base of each 
segment. The darkest of this group was the handsome rose and 
crimson L. s. Melpomene. 
Mr. John Forbes, Buccleuch Nurseries, Hawick, had about 
40 ft. run of space occupied with hardy herbaceous and florists’ 
flowers, all grown in the open. The herbaceous plants were 
arranged in tiers along the back of the stand. He also had col¬ 
lections of the best named varieties of Phloxes and Pentstemons 
arranged together in groups, and each group effective in itself! 
Early flowering Chrysanthemums were also shown. Alon^ thd 
front of the group were Cactus Dahlias on exhibition boards, 
including a host of choice named sorts. He had a collection of 
border Carnations in vases, and 20 dozen blooms, all of tha 
best named varieties. A splendid new border variety was Car¬ 
nation Glare, of a brilliant scarlet. He had a fine collection 
of all the colour varieties of East Lothian Stocks in a group bv 
themselves, divided off by panels of cut spikes of named Holly¬ 
hocks. J 
Messrs. Storrie and Storrie, Dundee, set up the most effective 
and useful group which we have seen them present at a show. 
The centre of the table was occupied with Apple trees in pots 
and heavily laden with fruit. Very fine were Jubilee, Domino' 
Maltster, Dunelows Seedling, Ribston Pippin, Duchess of 
Gloucester, Newton Wonder, Golden Spire, Cellini, Grenadier 
Lane’s Prince Albert, Golden Reinette, Warner’s King and 
