90 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER . 
July  24,  1902. 
the  classes  being  so  numerous  as  to  make  it  an  impossibility  to 
include  names.  Messrs.  Alex.  Dickson  and  Sons,  Newtownards, 
showed  magnificent  Roses  and  Sweet  Peas.  Amongst  the 
former  was  a  new  seedling,  Queen  Alexandra,  a  fine  well-built 
bloom,  beautifully  pointed  and  of  a  charming  shade  of  flesh. 
The  Sweet  Peas,  as  with  the  Roses,  were  marked  by  the  highest 
of  quality  and  colour.  A  first  prize  and  an  award  of  merit  was 
quickly  granted. 
Fifty  varieties  of  Sweet  Peas  were  superbly  set  up  by  Mr. 
Henry  Eckford.  They  were  clean  and  in  all  the  newer 
varieties.  Mr.  Henry  Middlehurst  also  set  up  a  large  and 
effective  display,  each  being  granted  an  award  of  merit.  It  only 
remains  to  be  .said  that  finances  are  right,  and  with  Mr. 
Kennedy  as  chairman,  Mr.  E.  H.  Bushell  as  treasurer,  and  the 
stirring  secretary  Mr.  T.  Pugh,  the  society  is  bound  to  flourish. 
— R.  P.  R. 
Edinburgh  Summer  Show. 
A  very  successful  and  enjoyable  exhibition,  promoted  by  the 
two  Scottish  metropolitan  societies,  the  Royal  Caledonian  and 
the  Scottish  Horticultural  Association,  was  held  in  the  Music 
Hall,  Edinburgh  on  the  afternoon  and  evening  of  the  16th  inst., 
when  the  display,  considering  the  untoward  nature  of  the  present 
Scottish  summer,  quite  surpassed  expectations  both  in  quantity 
and  quality.  A  Rose  show  used  to  be  a  part  of  the  regular  pro¬ 
gramme  of  the  Royal  Caledonian,  and  many  successful 
exhibitions  were  held  in  the  Music  Hall  in  olden  times,  and  after¬ 
wards  in  the  Waverley  Market.  The  expenses  attendant  on 
exhibitions  in-the  Waverley  Market  are  great,  and  the  public 
are  “  dreach  ”  to  draw  to  any  building  on  a  warm  summer’s  day, 
so  that  constant  large  deficits  so  emasculated  the  courage  of  the 
Royal  committee  that  the  exhibitions  were  discontinued.  Some 
years  afterwards  Mr.  M.  Todd,  when  president  of  the  association, 
resuscitated  these  exhibitions  on  a  small  scale,  and  for  several 
years  they  have  been  held  in  various  places  in  the  city,  and  as 
educative  and  interesting  meetings  have  proved  most  successful. 
A  happy  idea,  on  this  the  Coronation  year,  brought  the  two 
societies  together,  and  the  present  first  combined  effort  we  hope 
is  the  first  of  many  joint  efforts  to  promote  horticulture,  and  to 
show  how  becoming  well  is  it  for  such  as  are  brethren  to  dwell 
in  unity,  or  at  least  in  close  amity. 
The  present  exhibition  was  not  in  the  ordinary  sense  a  com¬ 
petitive  one.  There  was  no  prize  list ;  but  growers  were  invited 
to  contribute  whatever  was  thought  by  them  to  be  of  interest. 
The  gardeners  and  nurserymen  responded  liberally  when  the 
season  is  taken  into  acoount,  but  what  was  hoped  would  be  the 
leading  feature,  viz.,  Roses  and  Strawberries,  were  somewhat 
scanty.  The  deficiency  in  Roses  was  nobly  made  up  by  the 
splendid  exhibit  of  Mr.  Hugh  Dickson,  the  veteran  of  Belfast. 
We  have  seen  Mr.  Dickson’s  Roses,  we  think,  every  year  since  he 
first  brought  Ireland  into  notice  as  a  worthy  source  of  the  great 
emblematic  flower  of  England,  and  we  think  he  never  staged  a 
finer  lot  of  blooms  than  on  the  present  occasion.  He  had  some 
twenty  stands  filled  with  blooms  of  delightful  freshness,  brilliant 
colours,  and  admirable  size  and  substance.  To  name  the 
varieties  would  only  weary  the  reader,  as  our  pages  at  present 
are  filled  with  repetitions  of  the  same  leading  sorts  at  every 
exhibition.  Captain  Hayward,  that  delightful  free-blooming 
variety,  was  greatly  in  evidence,  and  proves  that  in  good  or  bad 
seasons  he  is  always  to  be  relied  upon.  Among  Pinks,  Mrs. 
Sharman  Crawford  held  a  conspicuous  place,  while  Marquis 
Litta  was  also  prominent.  One  or  two  for  size  were  too  utterly 
too-too.  The  Rev.  Alan  Cheales  is  too  huge,  and  it  will  be  a 
pity  when  the  Rose  emulates  in  size  the  exhibition  Japanese 
“  Mum.”  Novelties  were  not  awanting,  and  two  of  Mr.  Dick¬ 
son’s  own  children  received  certificates.  One,  Hugh  Dickson, 
a  noble  crimson  of  good  size,  great  substance,  and  brilliancy 
of  colour,  yet  perfectly  distinct  in  shade,  well  deserved  the  “  first 
class  ”  awarded.  The  ether,  Dorothy,  a  chaste,  light  blush  flower, 
is  also  promising.  A  gold  medal  award  unanimously  given  by 
the  judges  was  richly  deserved.  Messrs.  Croll,  of  Dundee,  had 
also  a  handsome  exhibit  of  show  and  garden  Roses,  but,  while 
not  awanting  in  quality,  showed  that  their  time  this  season  has 
not  yet  come;  a  silver  medal  was  awarded  them. 
Hardy  border  flowers  were  well  represented,  specially  so  by 
Messrs.  Cunningham  and  Fraser,  who  filled  a  large  stage  arranged 
with  a  magnificent  collection  rich  in  Pisonies  and  Iris,  but  with 
many  rarer  sorts  in  choice  condition.  This  was  awarded  a  gold 
medal.  Messrs.  Dicksons  and  Co.  had  also  a  beautiful  table 
of  Streptocarpus,  Pelargoniums,  Lobelias,  Water  Lilies,  Ac. — 
the  last-named,  in  basins. of  water,  were  specially  beautiful. 
Messrs.  Storrie  and  Storrie,  of  Dundee,  had  a  very  varied  exhibit 
of  single  Begonias  (very  beautiful,  but  just  large  to  a  fault), 
Streptocarpus,  Sweet  Peas,  Lobelias,  Ac.  This  was,  perhaps,  the 
most  tastefully  arranged  exhibit  in  the  hall,  and  reflected  great 
credit  on  Mr.  Storrie  ;  a  large  silver  medal  was  awarded.  Messrs. 
Laing  and  Mather,  the  King’s  seedsmen,  of  Kelso,  were  strongly 
in  evidence  with  their  great  speciality,  the  Malmaison,  of  the 
various  varieties  of.  which  they  exhibited  most  capitally  grown 
specimens.  They  had  also  blooms  of  the  sensational  American 
variety,  Mrs.  T.  W.  Lawson,  which,  though  beautiful,  was  hardly 
worth  the  trumpet-blowing  it  received;  a  silver  medal  was 
awarded  this  collection.  Mr.  Eckford  kindly  sent  a  large  variety 
of  the  best  sorts  of  Sweet  Peas,  though  this  season  has  not  pro¬ 
duced  them  quite  up  to  Mr.  Eckford’ s  usual  form ;  yet  they  were 
a  most  attractive  collection. 
Other  trade  exhibitors  were  Messrs.  Campbell  and  Sons, 
Blantyre  (beautiful  lot  of  Carnations) ;  Messrs.  Ivelway,  Langport, 
(a  choice  exhibit  of  Gaillardias  and  other  showy  hardy  flowers) ; 
Mr.  Lornie,  Broxburn  (Iris,  summer  Chrysanthemums,  Ac.) ; 
Mr.  John  Downie,  who  exhibited  an  interesting  table  of  plants. 
Messrs.  Laird  and  Sons  filled  the  orchestra  with  a  very  beautiful 
lot  of  plants,  which  added  much  to  the  appearance  of  the  hall. 
The  arrangement  of  this  exhibit  was  most  commendable,  and 
reflected  great  credit  on  the  artistic  capacity  of  the  firm ;  a 
large  silver  medal  was  awarded.  One  of  the  most  charming 
exhibits  in  the  hall  was  by  Messrs.  Todd  and  Co.,  art  florists, 
who,  to  quote  from  the  “  Scotsman,”  were  “  as  usual,  to  the 
front  with  a  really  exquisite  table  of  bouquets,  baskets  of  Roses, 
vases  of  Sweet  Peas,  Ac.,  which  was  a  centre  of  attraction  during 
the  day  and  evening.”  On  this  table  a  shower  bouquet  of  a  pale 
heliotrope  Cattleya,  Odontoglossum  Alexandras,  and  Lily  of  the 
Valley,  interspersed  with  delicate  fronds  of  Asparagus,  was  a 
perfect  vision  of  loveliness  marvellous  in  its  lightness  and  dainti¬ 
ness.  A  gold  medal  was  awarded  this  exhibit. 
Private  gardeners  contributed  liberally  to  the  show,  and  many 
highly  creditable  displays  were  made,  which  space  forbids  us  to 
particularise.  The  exhibit  of  Mr.  Kidd,  gardener,  Carberry 
Tower,  was  specially  honoured  by  the  award  of  a  gold  medal. 
Malmaison  Carnations  were  his  leading  feature,  and  were  very 
fine,  also  Uriah  Pike,  very  rich  in  colour.  Tastefully  arranged 
vases  of  Roses  were  also  conspicuous,  especially  one  of  Gustave 
Regis,  a  very  beautiful  decorative  Rose,  which  as  a  buttonhole 
flower  has  hardly  an  equal.  Paul’s  Carmine  Pillar  was  also  in 
beautiful  form  ;  a  handsome  vase  of  Lilium  Harrisi  and  vases  of 
Sweet  Peas  added  charm  to  this  beautiful  exhibit.  Mr.  Alex¬ 
ander,  gardener.  Niddry,  exhibited  a  table  of  twenty-four 
varieties  Sweet  Peas,  which  showed  very  high  culture,  and  were 
effectively  set. up.  This  was  much  the  finest  Sweet  Pea  exhibit, 
and  was  awarded  a  silver  medal.  Mr.  Wood,  Oswald  House, 
tastefully  filled  a  table  in  the  vestibule  cf  the  hall  with  admirable 
plants  from  his  well  known  Orchid  and  other  treasures.  Mr. 
Macmillan,  Trinity  Grove,  had  a  charming  little  exhibit  of  choice 
hardy  flowers,  Tea  Roses,  Ac.  Mr.  Swales’  Streptocarpus, 
Gloxinias,  and  Sweet  Peas  were  much  admired.  Mr.  Cowan, 
Penicuik,  exhibited  a  very  beautiful  table  of  British  Ferns  in  rare 
varieties,  and  remarkable  for  their  freshness  and  healthy  appear¬ 
ance.  Mr.  Comfort  (the  popular  S.H.A.  president)  had  an 
attractive  exhibit  of  herbaceous  plants,  as  had  also  Mr.  Murray 
Thomson,  the  energetic  secretary  of  the  Caledonian.  Mr. 
Whytock,  Dalkeith,  exhibited  some  interesting  specimens  of  cut 
flowering  shrubs. 
A  very  attractive  exhibit  was  made  by  the  School  of  Garden¬ 
ing  for  Women,  Inveresk,  consisting  of  Sweet  Peas,  Iris,  and 
other  flowers,  also  Mushrooms,  Cucumbers,  honey,  Ac.  ;  a  bronze 
medal  was  awarded.  Fruit  was  small  in  quantity,  but  of  excel¬ 
lent  quality.  The  Royal  Sovereign  Strawberries  from  Mr. 
Scougal,  Eskbank,  eve  re  marvellous  for  size  and  colour  and 
bloom.  Nice  Strawberries  were  sent  by  Mr.  Whytock.  Mr. 
Murray,  Culzean,  contributed  beautiful  Pine  Apples  and  Melons; 
Grapes  came  from  Mr.  Wann  (“  Kennet  ”). 
The  arrangements  were  most  admirably  carried  out  by  Messrs. 
Thompson  and  Lonie,  the  twin  secretaries,  to  whom  great  credit 
is  due. 
Wye  Agricultural  College. 
Last  Saturday  was  prize  day  at  this  college,  when  Viscount 
Midleton,  Lord  Lieutenant  of  the  County  of  Surrey,  presented 
the  diplomas  and  other  rewards.  Professor  A.  D.  Hall,  principal 
of  the  college,  presided,  and  in  his  address  appealed  for  support 
from  farmers  and  their  sons.  Viscount  Midleton  congratulated 
the  college  on  its  steady  progress.  Every  year,  he  said, 
emphasised  the  growing  importance  of  such  institutions,  as 
Great  Britain  had  to  face  competition  not  only  from  the  Conti¬ 
nent  of  Europe,  but  from  that  vast  continent  across  the 
Atlantic  which  is  entering  so  seriously  into  rivalry  with  us  in 
all  branches  of  trade,  commerce,  and  industry.  How  severe  the 
competition  was  only  those,  who,  like  myself,  had  taken  a 
long  and  practical  interest  in  agriculture,  could  estimate.  We 
were  handipapped  in  many  respects  because  those'  engaged  in 
agriculture  had  no  really  scientific  knowledge  of  the  principles 
underlying  it.  They  knew  they  did  wrong,  and  nothing  more, 
and  often  when  they  did  right  they  did  not  know  why  they  did 
it  or  what  effect  would  be  produced  by  their  operations.  That 
was  just  what  they  could  learn  at  Wye  College,  where  an  honest 
and  successful  attempt  was  being  made  to  cope  with  the 
problems  of  technical  education  in  connection  with  the  most 
important  of  our  national  industries,  and  to  teach  farmers  the 
principles  on  which  they,  ought  to  go  in  order,  to  make  the  soil 
more  fertile  arid  the  yield  more  productive. 
