104 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
July  31,  1902. 
down  to  a  coolsome  waterpool  with  Lilies  on  its  glassy  surface, 
and  here,  too,  the  scene  is  capped  by  the ' intrusion  of  an  arched 
stone  bridge,  the  whole  standing  forward  from  a  background¬ 
setting  of  matured  trees  and  shrubs. 
Upon  the  terrace  itself  Mr.  Wadds  has  successfully  arranged 
some  pleasing  colour  contrasts  in  the  scroll-beds  laid  out  in 
gravel,  and  edged  with  Box.  Through  an  opening  in  the 
dividing  wall  we  ascend  the  flight  of  stairs  and  enter  a  garden 
of  Roses  with  massive  beds  on  either  side,  and  marvellously 
prolific  Crimson  Ramblers  smothering  a  lengthened  series  of 
arches.  What  a  feature  it  is  too !  and  one  eminently  worthy 
of  being  copied  in  a  hundred  other  places.  The  glass  ranges 
are  just  here  stretching  backward  and  variously  disposed.  In 
front  of  the  vineries  are  the  Chrysanthemums,  all  robust  and 
clean.  The  Vines  themselves  are  bearing  well,  particularly 
those  in  pots,  on  some  of  which  were  seven  good  bunches.  The 
pots  are  fitted  with  zinc  collars  inside  of  which  is  the  top- 
dressing. 
Here  there  is  also  a  fair-sized  Banana  house  with  plants  in 
fruit,  the  glass  side  walls  being  screened  with  Lygodium 
scandens  trained  erectly  on  strings.  Acalypha  musaica  and 
Eulalia  japonica  variegata  occupy  the  stage,  the  red  foliage  of 
the  former  contrasting  admirably  with  the  graceful  white  grass 
of  the  other. 
The  ferny  grotto,  after  the  style  of  Pulliam’s  creations,  and 
possibly  executed  by  them,  was  a  great  feature  to  all,  and  the 
more  observant  did  not  fail  to  notice  and  admire  the  huge 
hanging  baskets  of  Allamanda  Williamsi  wreathed  with  dark 
green  leaves  and  bright  yellow  flowers,  in  the  stove.  Oxalis 
rosea  in  baskets  suspended  from  the  roof  of  another  house 
furnished  an  admirable  summer  substitute  for  Begonia  Gloire 
de  Lorraine,  of  which  there  is  also  a  capital  collection  of  young 
plants  advancing.  All  sorts  of  decorative  greenhouse  and  stove 
plants  are  cultivated  with  conspicuous  success. 
Lady  Pearson  also  delights  to  have  houses'  wholly  devoted 
to  one"  genus  of  plants,  and  here  you  will  see  Fuchsias,  all 
bushy  and  flower-laden  ;  another  of  coloured  Caladiums,  followed 
by  Codiseums  (Crotons),  Calanthes,  Cypripediums,  Cattleyas,  and 
Odontoglossums.  Seldom,  or  never,  have  I  seen  better  Calanthes 
than  those  now  showing  their  breaks,  and  the  other  Orchids 
and  plants  likewise  are  healthy  and  promising  well.  The 
orchard  house  trees  are  very  creditable,  even  though  the  house 
is  ill  suited  for  the  purpose. 
Huge  and  beautifully  finished  Melons  occupy  two  or  three 
span-houses,  and  Cucumbers  are  not  awanting.  Near  the 
houses,  on  a  higher  level,  is  the  long  double  archway  of  Pyrus 
in  variety  seen  at  this  season,  when  the  long  slender  shoots  are 
full  grown,  the  effect  is  such  that  none  can  help  admiring  it, 
though  it  is  not  easy  to  describe  the  impression  in  print.  The 
kitchen  and  fruit  garden  lie  more  to  the  west,  and  are  divided 
from  the  ornamental  grounds  and  glass  ranges  by  high  hedges. 
Fruit  crops  are  fair,  but  the  season  has  been  unfavourable. 
The  home  farmstead  is  built  on  the  most  up-to-date  plans, 
and  every  feature  is  of  the  best.  It  would  oocupy  too  much 
space  to  detail  its  parts,  however,  though  that  too,  might  be 
interesting. 
Tea  came  acceptably  at  about  5.30,  and  by  seven  the  brakes 
were  prepared  for  the  home  journey.  A  number  of  us  must 
needs,  however,  climb  to  the  summit  of  the  square-built  tower, 
but  Providence  alone  knows  how  some  of  the  iadies,  “  fair,  fat, 
and  forty”  (decidedly  adipose  and  quite  forty!)  reached  the  top 
to  tell  the  tale.  ’Twas  enough  for  my  attenuated  frame  to 
wriggle  up  that  screw-like  coil,  but  the  effort  was  as  amply 
repaid  as  in  climbing  the  Matterhorn  to  witness  a  sunrise  over 
the  glaciers.  By  eight  o’clock  the  little  band  of  pilgrims, 
having’ dwelt  together  in  amity  for  one  whole  day  (!)  were 
securely  in  the  train,  and  contemplating  the  success  of  the  out¬ 
ing.  Those  disposed  to  philosophise  might  well  have  asked 
whether  any  ungenerous  feeling  in  reality  exists  among  members 
or  officials  ‘of  the  National  Chrysanthemum  Society,  for  truth 
to  tell,  the  best  spirit  possible  pervades  the  pic-nics — as  it 
should  do. — Wandering  W  illie. 
Clydesdale  Strawberries. 
Just  now  it  might  be  said  that  the  Clydesdale  fruit-grower 
thinks  “in  Strawberries,”  for  the  season’s  harvest  is  at  present 
at  its  height.  While  the  crop  gives  evidence  of  being  a  fairly 
good  one,  it  is  questionable  if  such  a  peculiar  season  has  been 
experienced  since  the  year  1879.  The  fruit,  so  far,  has  never 
had  that  marketable  appearance  usually  looked  for  in  Clydes¬ 
dale-grown  Strawberries,  as,  owing  to  the  wretched  spring  and 
the  lack  of  genial  sunshine,  it  caused  the  fruit  to  hang  too  long 
in  the  bud  before  coming  to  maturity.  Indeed,  so  small  has 
been  the  fruit  on  some  orchards  that  growers  have  almost  been 
compelled,  owing  to  the  low  prices  obtaining  for  same  in  the 
market,  to  send  it  to  the  preserve  manufacturers.  Should  the 
later  varieties  not  “  swell  out  ”  better  than  the  early  ones,  there 
must  be  a  considerable  shortage  from  last  year  of  this  delicious 
fruit. 
Victoria  Medal  of  Honour. 
The  President  and  Council  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society 
have  conferred  the  Victoria  Medals  of  Honour  in  Horticulture, 
vacant  by  the  deaths  of  Mr.  G.  F.  Wilson,  Mr.  Wni.  Bull,  and 
Mr.  E.  G.  Beale  respectively,  upon  Mr.  John  T.  Bennett  Poe, 
Mr.-  George  Massee,  and  Mr.  Henry  Cannell. — W.  Wilks, 
Secretary. 
The  Royal  Aquarium  Sold. 
This  place  of  entertainment,  in  Westminster,  has  been  sold, 
we  believe,  to  the  Wesleyan  Methodist  Union  as  a  site  for  a 
large  new  church  to  be  erected  by  them.  The  Royal  Aquarium 
has  been  the  exhibition  place  for  the  National  Chrysanthemum 
Society’s  shows  for  many  years,  and  for  two  years  the  National 
Sweet  Pea  Society  had  held  an  annual  exhibition  there,  besides 
which  there  have  been  Dahlia  shows  and  other  horticultural 
meetings  within  its  walls. 
Royal  Horticultural  Society. 
The  next  fruit  and  flower  show  of  the  Royal  Horticultural 
Society  will  be  held  on  Tuesday,  August  5,  in  the  Drill  Hall, 
Buckingham  Gate,  Westminster,  from  1-5  p.m.  A  Silver  Flora 
Medal  will  be  offered  for  the  best  collection  of  Cactaceous  plants, 
open  to  amateurs.  For  other  prizes,  address  Air.  Blogg,  65, 
Brighton  Road,  Croydon.  A  lecture  on  “  Small  Fruits  from  a 
Private  Garden  Point  of  View”  will  be  given  by  Air.  J.  Smith, 
V.M.H.,  at  three  o’clock.  *  *  At  a  general  meeting  of  the 
Royal  Horticultural  Society  held  on  Tuesday,  July  22,  thirty-three 
new  Fellows  were  elected,  amongst  them  being  the  Countess  of 
Kingston,  Lady  Mary  Morrison,  Lady  Stradbroke,  and  the  Right 
Hon.  A.  H.  D.  Acland,  making  a  total  of  859  elected  since  the 
beginning  of  the  present  year. 
The  Neill  Prize  in  Horticulture. 
Mr.  David  Murray  of  Culzean,  who  has  just  been  awarded  the 
Neill  Prize  by  the  Royal  Caledonian  Horticultural  Society,  is  a 
well  known  and  highly  esteemed  horticulturist,  who  began  his 
gardening  career  at  the  age  of  fourteen,  and  served  for  a  time  in 
Abercairney  Gardens,  Crieff.  From  there  he  entered  on  a  three 
years’  term  of  apprenticeship  in  Blair  Drummond  Gardens,  and 
after  serving  for  a  time  in  other  gardens  he  found  his  way  into 
the  gardens  of  the  Duke  of  Buccleuch  at  Dalkeith,  then  in  the 
height  of  their  fame  and  under  the  charge  of  Mr.  Wm,  Thomson. 
Here  he  served  through  the  various  departments  for  six  years. 
David  Murray  was  one  of  five  young  men  selected  by  Air. 
Thomson  to  take  charge  of  the  Pine  Apple  department  in  the 
Clovenfords  nurseries,  then  just  started.  After  three  years 
at  Clovenfords,  at  the  age  of  twenty-four,  he  was  chosen  by  Mr. 
Thomson  to  fill  the  post  of  head  gardener  to  the  then  Alarquis 
of  Ailsa,  at  Culzean  Castle,  a  post  he  has  held  with  much 
acceptance  to  his  employers  and  credit  and  honour  to  himself 
for  the  last  thirty  years'.  For  many  years  Culzean  has  been 
famed  for  high-class  gardening  in  all  departments.  In  vegetable 
growing  and  fruit  culture,  both  inside  and  out,  Mr.  Murray  is 
perhaps  best  known,  and  he  is  the  raiser  of  the  famous  Ailsa 
Craig  Onion.  The  famed  Culzean -Curled  Kale  is  also  a  creation 
of  his.  In  fruit  culture  Mr.  C.  Murray  has  been  most  successful. 
His  renovation  of  old  orchards  and  the  lifting  of  large  Apple 
and  Pear  trees  has  been  a  great  success.  With  indoor  fruit  his 
success  has  been  equally  satisfactory,  and  though  not  now  so 
frequent  an  exhibitor  at  the  autumn  shows,  the  Culzean  fruit 
has  on  many  occasions  taken  leading  honours  at  most-  of  the 
large  international  shows.  No  finer  example  of  high-class  Grape 
culture  can  be  found  in  the  country  than  that  which  is  to  be 
seen,  any  season,  in  going  through  the  vineries  at  Culzean,  no 
light  cropping,  but  heavy,  full  crops  of  finely  shaped  and 
finished  ‘  bunches.  A  hearty  welcome  awaits  the  horticulturist 
who  makes  pilgrimage  to  this  beautiful  place  on  the  Ayrshire 
coast,  for  amongst  the  many  qualities  of  this  successful  gardener, 
not  the  least  are  his  warm  heart,  his  frank  and  open  manner, 
and  kind  hospitality.  May  he  be  long  spared  to  wear  his 
honours,  is  the  wi-h  of  many  friends  besides  an — Old  Culzean 
Boy. 
