September  25,  1902.  JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AXD  COTTAGE  GARDENER . 
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of  very  high  quality,  notwithstanding  the  many  difficulties  with 
wind  and  weather  that  Scottish  gardeners  have  this  season  had  I 
to  contend  with.  Seldom,  perhaps,  has  the  proverb  been  more 
amply  justified  that  Scottish  weather  consists  of  “  nine  months 
of  winter  and  three  months  of  damned  bad  summer,”  than  in 
the  present  year,  yet  that  perseverance  which  overcomes  so  many 
difficulties  did  not  materially  detract  from  the  quality  or  attrac¬ 
tiveness  of  the  autumn  show. 
The  fruit  and  Grape  classes  are  always  a  very  prominent 
feature  at  Edinburgh,  and  gardeners  gather  from  all  parts  of 
the  country  to  see  the  high-water  mark  of  attainable  perfection. 
The  centre  of  attraction  was  undoubtedly  the  dessert  table,  10ft 
by  4^ft,  for  not  more  than  sixteen  dishes  chosen  from  a  collection 
laid  down  in  the  prize  list,  and  decorated  with  plants  or  flowers 
at  the  discretion  of  the  competitor  (Orchids  excluded).  There 
were  in  all  four  very  meritorious  tables  shown,  and  as  the  fruit 
and  floral  portions  had  to  be  treated  as  separate  prizes,  the 
judges  had  a  difficult  task  set  them.  After  long  and  careful 
scrutiny,  Mr.  Dawes  received  the  coveted  first  award  for  the 
fruit  portion  by  only  half  a  point  in  advance  of  his  Scottish 
rival,  Mr.  Kidd,  of  Carberry  Tower,  the  respective  points  being  : 
for  Mr.  Dawes,  93^  points  out  of  a  possible  121,  and  93  for 
Mr.  Kidd  out  of  a  possible  112.  Curiously  enough,  this  showed 
the  second-prize  man  to  have  gained  84  per  cent,  of  his  points, 
against  77  per  cent,  jfor  his  successful  rival.  Many  onlookers 
thought  that,  with  such  a  very  close  contest,  an  equal  first  would 
have  best  met  the  case.  Mr.  Dawes  was  strongest  with  Peaches, 
Nectarines,  Melons,  Figs,  Ac.,  while  his  Grapes,  though  fine, 
were  not  quite  up  to  those  of  Mr.  Kidd.  Mr.  Cairns,  of  Bal- 
ruddery,  was  a  very  good  third,  and  the  unplaced  table  of  Mr. 
Smith,  Oxenford  Castle,  was  also  very  meritorious. 
In  the  decorative  division  of  the  prize,  Mr.  Kidd  left  no 
dubiety,  his  exhibit  being  in  this  respect  much  the  finer,  gaining 
24  out.  of  the  28  points,  though,  in  our  opinion,  the  decorating 
in  this  and  some  of  the  other  tables  was  overdone.  Mr.  Kidd’s 
centre  epergne  was  beautifully  and  lightly  done  with  Gloriosa 
superba,  Sunrise  Tea.  Roses,  Lily  of  the  Valley,  Francoa,  &c. 
Mr.  Smith,  of  Oxenford,  was  awarded  second  for  decoration, 
while  Mr.  Dawes  had  to  be  content  with  third  place,  the  flowyers 
being  of  a  commoner  description  and  the  effect  slightly  heavy. 
In  the  competition  for  ten  dishes  of  fruit,  Mr.  Dawes  and 
Mr.  D.  Murray,  Culzean  Castle  (who,  by  the  way,  was  appearing 
for  the  first  time,  carrying  his  newly  awarded  honours  as  Neil 
medallist  wdth  characteristic  modesty),  had  a  very  hard  tussle, 
but  the  premier  position  was  finally  awarded  to  Mr.  Dawes. 
Mr.  Smith,  Oxenford,  was  a  good  third.  Mr.  Dawes’  Grapes 
in  this  competition  outweighed,  in  the  eyes  of  the  judges,  the 
very  handsome  Smooth  Cayenne  Pine  in  Mr.  Murray’s  collection. 
For  collections,  of  hardy  fruit  grown  in  Scotland,  Mr.  Day, 
Galloway  House,  was  an  easy  first,  his  Pears,  Plums,  and  Apples 
being  very  fine.  Mr.  Binnie,  North  Berwick,  and  Mr.  Harper, 
Bankfoot,  Perth,  were  second  and  third  respectively  with  good 
assortments. 
For  the  twelve  dishes  of  orchard  house  fruit  (Grapes  excluded) 
there  were  five  entries,  the  victor  being  Mr.  James  Beisant, 
Castle  Huntly,  with  very  handsome  dishes  of  Pears  Beurre  Die! 
and  Doyenne  clu  Cornice,  wonderful  Peasgood’s  Nonesuch  and 
Alexandra  Apples,  and  good  Nectarines,  Peaches,  and  Plums. 
Mr.  Dawes  had  to  be  content  with  second  place,  but  showed 
excellent  material. 
The  Grape  classes  were,  indeed,  a  great  feature  of  the  show, 
and,  though  Edinburgh  people  have  sometimes  seen,  perhaps,  a 
fully  larger  display,  they  have  seldom,  if  ever,  seen  a  better. 
The  chief  class  for  six  bunches  was  very  keenly  contested,  and 
it  was  gratifying  that  finish  and  quality  carried  the  day.  Mr. 
Lunt,  Keir  Gardens,  maintained  his  w7ell-earned  reputation  as 
one  of  the  very  fdremost  Grape  culturists  of  the  day,  with  splen¬ 
didly  grown  and  beautifully  finished  bunches  of  Muscat  of  Alex¬ 
andria,  Black  Hamburgh,  and  Madresfield  Court.  Messrs. 
Buchanan.  Kippen,  in  this  competition  had  to  give  place  to  Mr. 
Lunt,  but  their  exhibit  was  well  worthy  of  their  reputation  as 
champion  market  growers.  They  staged  Muscats,  Alicantes, 
and  Black  Hamburgh.  In  the  class  for  four  bunches.  Messrs. 
Buchanan  were  first  amongst  the  eight  competitors,  with  beau¬ 
tiful  samples  of  Alicante,  Cooper’s  Black,  Alnwick  Seedling,  and 
Diamond  Jubilee.  Mr.  Day,  Galloway  House,  followed  very 
closely  with  Muscat  of  Alexandria,  Mrs.  Pince,  Muscat  Ham¬ 
burgh,  and  Mrs.  Pearson.  Many  would  not  have  been  surprised 
if  the  premier  ticket  had  been  on  Mr.  Day’s  stand.  Mr.  Beisant 
was  an  excellent  third. 
For  two  bunches  of  Muscat  of  Alexandria  Mr.  Day  was 
awarded  first,  but  followed  very  closely  by  Mr.  Kidd,  whose 
Muscats  are  always  well  to  the  front,  showing  that,  as  a  high- 
class  Grape  eulturist,  he  is  no  “  kid.”  Mr.  Green,  Grinkle  Park, 
Yorks,  was  third  with  large  but  rather  poorly  coloured  bunches. 
For  one  bunch  Muscats,  Mr.  Wann,  gardener  to  Lord  Balfour, 
the  popular  Scottish  Secretary,  was  first  with  a  very  pretty 
bunch,  with  Mr.  Green  and  Mr.  Cairns  second  and  third. 
The  Council  of  the  Royal  Caledonian  give  special  encourage¬ 
ment  for  the  cultivation  of  Black  Hamburghs.  and  on  this  occa¬ 
sion  their  efforts  were  well  rewarded,  there  being  sixteen  com¬ 
petitors  for  two  bunches,  and  twenty  for  a  single  bunch.  In 
both  classes,  Mr.  Lunt  proved  victorious  with  large,  well  finished, 
and  beautifully  coloured  bunches,  Mr.  Fairholm,  Alloa,  being 
second  in  both  classes — a  highly  creditable  feat.  Messrs. 
Buchanan  were  first  for  Alicantes,  as  also  for  Alnwick  Seedling, 
Mr.  Day  and  Mr.  Leslie,  Pitcullen,  being  second  in  the  respec¬ 
tive  classes.  Mr.  Leslie,  who  is  well  known  as  a  high-class 
cultivator,  was  on  this  occasion  not  so  much  in  evidence  as  usual. 
Mr.  David  Murray  was  first  for  Lady  Downe’s,  and  Mr.  Glen 
carried  the  premier  prize  for  Madresfield  Court,  leaving  Mr. 
Lunt  in  second  position.  For  a  new  Grape,  Messrs.  Buchanan 
were  first  with  Diamond  Jubilee,  and  Mr.  Lunt  second  with 
Prince  of  Wales,  labelled  a  “  Sport  from  Mrs.  Pince.”  In  the 
“  Any  other  Class,”  Mr.  Nicol,  Forgandenny,  was  first  with  a 
beautiful  bunch  of  Gros  Maroc ;  second,  Mr.  Waldie,  of  Dollar. 
For  one  bunch  any  other  white,  Mr.  Mathieson,  North  Berwick, 
gained  the  first  award  with  a  most  attractive  bunch  of  Bnckland 
Sweetwater.  For  the  finest  flavoured  black,  Mr.  Lunt  was  first 
with  Muscat  Hamburgh  ;  Mr.  Beisant  second  with  Black  Ham¬ 
burgh.  Finest  flavoured  white :  Mr.  Galloway  was  first  with 
a  small  bunch  of  Muscat  of  Alexandria.  For  the  finest  bloomed 
bunch  of  Grapes,  Mr.  Sutherland,  Polmont,  was  first,  with 
Cooper’s  Black. 
Passing  from  Grapes  to  hardy  fj-uits,  the  various  classes 
showed  that,  while  there  were  many  good  samples,  the  season  had 
been  against  growers',  size  and  colour  being  conspicuously  absent, 
and  some  growers  could  not  exhibit  at  all.  For  twelve  varieties 
of  Pears,  Mr.  Findlay,  Uckfieild.  Sussex,  was  first  with  creditable 
specimens  of  popular  sorts,  Mr.  Gibson,  Marlow,  second,  and 
Mr.  Dawes  third.  For  six  varieties,  grown  in  Scotland,  Mr. 
Galloway,  gardener  to  the  Earl  of  Wemyss,  at  Gosford,  was  first, 
Mr.  Greenlaw,  Kilmun,  second,  and  Mr.  D.  Murray  third.  A 
great  number  of  single  dishes  were  shown  in  competition  for 
twenty  separate  classes,  but  our  space  is  too  limited,  and  life  is 
too  short,  to  enter  into  details. 
There  were  also  a  great  array  of  dishes  of  Apples,  of  which  the 
same  may  be  said,  there  being  no  fewer  than  fifty  classes  of  Apples. 
Surely  many  of  these  classes  could  be  profitably  omitted,  any¬ 
thing  of  special  value  being  sure  to  come  to  the  front  in  the 
collections  of  dessert  and  cooking  varieties.  For  twelve  varieties 
(open),  Mr.  Whiting,  Hereford,  was  first,  Mr.  Tolhurst.  Polmore, 
Sussex,  second,  and  Mr.  Koe,  Hereford,  third.  For  eight 
varieties  grown  in  Scotland,  Mr.  Day  was  first,  Mr.  D.  Murray 
second,  and  Mr.  Nicol,  Forgandenny,  third.  For  six  varieties, 
Mr.  Dawes  was  first  and  Mr.  MacMcKinlay  second. 
A  very  fair  display  for  the  season  was  made  in  the  classes  for 
Strawberries,  Raspberries,  Gooseberries,  Currants,  &c.  ;  the  dish 
of  Fay’s  Prolific  Red  Currant  from  Mr.  Smith,  Oxenford,  was 
specially  good.  Superlative  Raspberries- from  Mr.  Hunter,  Gala¬ 
shiels,  were’  also  noteworthy. 
For  Melons,  Mr.  Hughes,  Peebles,  and  Mr.  M.  Hendry, 
Balerno,  were  first  respectively  for  green  and  scarlet  fleshed 
varieties.  Peaches  were  a  very  fine  lot,  Mr.  Glen,  Larbert,  being 
first  with  beautiful  Sea  Eagle,  Mr.  Brown,  Dunnikier,  second  with 
Barrington,  and  Mr.  Dawes  third.  Mr.  Dawes  gained  first  for 
Nectarines,  Mr.  Lunt  second.  For  Gages,  Mr.  Dawes  was  first 
and  Mr.  Cairns  second.  Twelve  purple  Plums  (not  Gages) :  Mr. 
Findlay  was  first  and  Mr.  Dawes  second.  Twelve  red  Plums: 
Mr.  Findlay  was  also  first,  and  Mr.  R.  G.  Sinclair  second.  Col¬ 
lection  of  dessert  Plums  :  Mr.  MacKinlay  first,  Mr.  Harvey  second, 
and  Mr.  Dawes  third.  Collection  of  culinary  Plums:  Mr.  Gibson 
first,  Mr.  Harvey  second,  and  Mr.  MacKinlay  third. 
Plants. — For  groups  of  plants  there  w  ere  only  two  competitors, 
and  these  not  of  outstanding  merit.  In  this  department  the 
veteran  Mr.  M.  MacIntyre,  The  Glen,  Innerleithen,  was  not  at 
this  show,  he  having  gone  for  a  long  holiday  to  the  Fiji  Islands. 
His  plants  were  missed.  The  two  groups  were  not  of  outstanding 
merit,  but  that  of  Mr.  Knight,  Lenzie,  was  a  long  way  the  best. 
In  a  neat,  loose  arrangement  were  very  well  grown  highly 
coloured  Crotons  and  attractive  Dracaenas,  Liliums,  Gloxinias, 
Orchids,  &c.,  with  a  few  graceful  Palms.  Mr.  Geo.  Wood, 
Oswald  House,  was  second,  but  on  this  occasion  was  not  up  to 
his  usual  mark,  and  flatness  and  want  of  brightness  being  much 
noticeable  in  the  group. 
Plant  growing  does  not  seem  to  advance  in  the  immediate 
neighbourhood  of  Edinburgh,  as  we  observed  most  of  the  notable 
plants  staged  were  from  a  distance.  For  four  stove  or  green¬ 
house  plants  in  bloom,  Mr.  Thorn,  Balerno,  was  first  with  fair 
plants  of  Lapageria  alba,  Vallota  purpurea,  a  Pancratium 
fragraus,  and  a  double  Petunia.  Mr.  Wood  was  second.  For 
one  flowering  plant,  Mr.  G.  McKenna  w’as  first,  with  a  handsome 
Statice.  For  four  Orchids,  Mr.  Sharp,  Freelands,  Perth,  was 
well  first  with  two  Odontoglossums,  a  ATanda  tricolor,  and 
Cattleya  velutina;  second,  Mr.  Wood.  Mr.  Sharp  was  alone  for 
three  C'ypripediums  and  for  one  Orchid. 
Ferns  were  well  shown,  Mr.  Lunt  being  first  for  four  Adian- 
tums  with  large  handsome  specimens  of  concinnum,  cuneatum, 
digitatum,  and  grandiceps.  Mr.  R.  Stewart,  Murrayfield.  a 
good  second.  For  four  exotic  Ferns,  Mr.  Stewart  was  first  with 
very  handsome  plants,  which  attracted  much  attention.  British 
Ferns  were  well  shown,  Mr.  J.  C.  Brown’s  first  prize  nine  being 
