444 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
November  12,  1903. 
Apple  Gascoigne’s  Scarlet  Seedling. 
This  is  one  of  the  handsomest  of  dessert  Apples,  the  fruits 
from  pot  trees  assuming,  under  favourable  culture,  the  richest 
crimson  colour.  Messrs.  Bunyard  and  Co.,  Limited,  staged  ex¬ 
ceedingly  fine  pot-grown  trees  of  the  variety  at  Chiswick  this 
year,  and  the  colour  was  quite  extraordinary.  We  figure  four 
fruits  (reduced)  on  the  opposite  page,  from  a  photograph  by  Mr. 
Tyler,  of  Halstead,  Essex.  The  fruits  are  large,  and  possess  an 
agreeable  flavour.  It  is  advised  to  prune  the  tree  lightly.  Its 
cropping  qualities  are  well  known,  the  tree  being  a  healthy 
grower,  especially  on  the  Paradise  stock.  It  is  both  used  for 
dessert  and  for  'cooking  (mostly  for  cooking),  and  is  fit  from 
October  till  January.  Though  best  known  by  the  name  we 
here  use,  it  is  occasionally  referred  to  as  Glory  of  England. 
Newer  Varieties  of  Fruit  in  Banffshire. 
The  monthly  meeting  of  the  Scottish  Horticultural  Associa¬ 
tion  was  held  in  Dowell’s  Rooms  on  Tue.sday,  November  3.  A 
vmry  large  number  of  members  were  present.  A  dozen  new  life 
members  and  about  fifty  new  ordinary  members  were  elected.  A 
paper  was  read  by  the  secretary  entitled  “  Notes  on  Newer 
Varieties  of  Fruits.”  The  paper  was  a  very  interesting  and 
instructive  one,  and  passed  in  rapid  review  the  more  recently 
introduced  fruits.  Though  in  a  far  northern  climate,  proximity 
to  the  sea  and  shelter  from  woods  render  Gordon  Castle  a  fairly 
favourable  place  for  outdoor  fruits.  Amongst  Apples  Mr.  Webster 
(the  essayist)  specially  mentioned  as  worthy  of  note  Newton 
Wonder, 'Bailie  Nelson,  Early  Victoria,  Rivers’  Early  Codlin, 
Foster’s  Seedling  (an  improvement  on  Cellini),  Allington  Pippin 
(extra  choice),  C'hristmas  Pearmain,  Wealthy  (not  quite  a  .success 
in  Scotland),  and  James  Grieve  (a  great  acqui.sition).  Pears  and 
Plums  were  also  pa.ssed  in  review.  Of  Pears  not  many  of  recent 
introduction  succeeded  better  with  him  than  old  standard  sorts. 
Of  Plums  he  specially  mentioned  Burbeck,  Golden  Transparent, 
Monarch,  Grand  Duke,  and  Archduke.  Among  Cherries,  St. 
Margaret’s  was  mentioned  as  a  very  first-rate  recent  introduction. 
Among  Gooseberries  Langley  Beauty  and  Langley  Gage  were 
specially  praised.  A  mo.st  interesting  discussion  followed  the 
reading  of  the  paper,  and  much  interesting  information  was 
■elicited  from,  amongst  others.  Mr.  Whyttock  (Dalkeith  Park), 
Mr.  D.  W.  Thom.son,  Mr.  A.  Mackenzie,  Mr.  Comfort,  and  the 
chairman,  Mr.  McHattie.  A  very  heart^’  vote  of  thanks  was 
awarded  to  Mr.  Webster. 
The  1903  Vintage. 
On  the  Continent,  as  in  England,  every  extreme  of  weather 
has  been  experienced  this  season.  Not  only  the  exceptionally 
late  frost  (that  of  April  18  was  alone  e.stimated  to  have  reduced 
the  value  of  the  possible  Grape  crop  in  France  by  something 
like  twenty  millions  sterling),  but  hailstorms,  excessive  rains, 
and  the  resultant  mildew  have  played  havoc  with  the  Vines  in 
almost  every  district.  Added  to  this,  spasmodic  heats  during 
the  early  summer — notably  in  Italy — have  made  up  a  suin  of 
misfortunes  which  it  is  confidently  asserted  will,  in  the  wine- 
production  of  the  four  great  Vine-growing  countries  of  Europe — 
France,  Spain,  Portugal,  and  Italy — result  in  a  deficit  of  no  less 
than  forty  million  hectolitres,  or  say  880  million  gallons,  a.s  com¬ 
pared  with  the  yield  of  an  average  year.  As  regards  quality,  it 
is  true  that  some  twenty  days  of  sunshine,  coming  at  a  time  when 
the  Grapes  in  ordinary  years  would  have  been  in  the  fermenting 
vats,  have  wrought  wonders  in  the  vineyards,  so  that  wine¬ 
growers  have  had  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  a  flood  of  continuous 
October  sunshine,  increa.sing  the  degree  of  saccharine  in  the  fruit 
day  by  day,  and,  where  the  Grapes  have  escaped  any  damage 
from  the  exce.s.sive  moisture  of  the  previous  months,  there  is 
still  a  prospect  of  the  wines  being  of  good  merchantable,  if  not 
commanding,  quality.  In  the  matter  of  quantity,  this  year’s 
vintage  must  be  a  great  di.sappointment,  with  scarcely  an  excep¬ 
tion,  in  every  country  of  Europe,  while,  as  regards  quality, 
except  in  the  mo.st  favoured  localities,  no  very  great  hopes  can 
be  entertained  of  a  production  of  wines  of  the  highest  class. — 
W.  AND  A.  GiLBEY. 
A  Profitable  Apple  Tree. — Mr.  Blow,  of  Little  Hale,  near 
Sleaford,  Lincolnshire,  has  an  Apple  tree  that  produced  him  this 
season  twenty  stones  of  Apple,s,  which  he  sold  at  4s.  per  stone — 
£4  in  all. 
Societies. 
National  Clirysantliemura,  Crystal  Palace,  November  10, 11  k  12. 
Summary.  -  The  first  day  (Tuesday)  was  delightful,  and  there 
was  a  good  attendance.  The  exhibition  was  smaller  than  u.sual, 
and  the  flowers  generally  were  less  meritorious.  At  the  .same 
time  it  was  a  very  interesting  show.  Mr.  N.  Davis  won  in 
Glass  1  ;  Messrs.  G.  Beckett  and  R.  Kenyon  stood  thus  in  the 
great  vase  class  ;  Mr.  Hunt  alone  showed  in  Class  3  ;  Mr.  Higgs 
led  for  the  thirty-six  incurveds;  and  Mr.  Mease  was  again  fore¬ 
most  for  the  forty-eight  Jaiis.  The  leading  prizewinners  in 
Division  I.  were  the  above  and  Messrs.  Jefferies  and  Bastin. 
Mr.  Vallis  was  absent  this  year. 
After  twenty-six  years  at  the  Royal  Aquarium,  Westminster, 
the  N.G.S.  exhibitions  have  had  to  be  moved  elsewhere.  The 
only  fitting  place  was  the  Crystal  Palace,  wdiich  unfortunately 
is  not  central,  and  at  this  season  of  the  year  is  not  so  comfortable 
to  visit  as  the  Aquarium  was.  The  light  and  the  space  for  staging 
is  very  much  better,  however;  and  there  were  some  nursery  firm.s 
who  refused  to  bring  plants  within  the  Aquarium  who  are  repre- 
.sonted  at  the  C.  P.  on  this  occasion.  The  arrangements  with 
the  Crystal  Palace  Company  are  for  the  present  year  only. 
We  desire  to  mention  the  good  services  of  Mr.  Geo.  Caselton, 
of  the  C.  P.  gardens,  and  his  staff  in  assisting  Mr.  R.  Dean  in 
making  the  arrangements  at  this  .show.  The  judges  were:  — 
For  plants  and  groups,  Mr.  J.  F.  McLeod  and  Mr.  A.  Turner ; 
cut  blooms,  Mr.  J.  Fulford,  Mr.  C.  Orchard,  Mr.  G.  Inglefield, 
and  Mr.  W.  Robinson;  decorations,  Mr.  E.  Hill  and  Mr.  T. 
Challis  ;  fruit  and  vegetables,  Mr.  W.  Allen  and  Mr.G.  Woodward. 
The  following  acted  as  stewards:  Messrs.  J.  McKercher,  D.  In- 
gamelLs,  J.  T.  Windy,  A.  J.  Foster,  and  E.  F.  Hawes. 
Donors  of  special  prizes  were  as  follows:  Messrs.  G.  H. 
Richards  (XL  All  .specialities);  Mackenzie  and  Moncur,  Limited, 
W.  J.  Godfrey,  H.  J.  Jones,  Charles  E.  Shea,  Percy  Waterer,  and 
Webb  and  Sons. 
Except  for  one  or  two  classes,  the  first  thirty  were  open  to 
all,  trade  included.  The  total  number  of  classes  in  the  schedule 
was  seventy-seven,  divided  thus :  For  cut  blooms  (in  the  three 
divisions),  forty-three;  for  plants,  including  a  group,  five;  for 
decorations,  nine  ;  for  fruit,  six ;  for  vegetables,  fourteen. 
At  the  shows  of  the  society  this  year  new  regulations  have 
come,  into  force,  entailjng  entrance  fees,  these  in  a  number  of 
cases  being  as  much  as  10s.  per  class. 
Class  I. — Floral  Display  of  Chrysanthemums. 
Plants,  cut  blooms,  and  cut  foliage  were  here  desired,  and  the 
space  allotted  to  each  competitor  was  300  superficial  feet. 
£10  10s.  was  the  first  prize,  and  10s.  entry  fee  was  necessary. 
To  ensure  the  collections  being  judged  in  harmony  wdtli  general 
recognised  principles,  a  maximum  of  fifteen  points  is  set  as  a 
standard,  and  are  allotted  as  follows  :  — 
Points 
A.  For  quality  of  Chrysanthemum  blooms,  whatever  may  be 
the  type  employed  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  <> 
B.  For  quality  of  the  foliage  plants,  as  shown  by  their 
elegance,  colour  and  adaptability  ...  ...  ...  H 
C.  For  attractive  arrangement  ...  ...  ...  ...  (> 
The  schedule  had  the  following  note: — “It  is  particularly 
desired  that  exhibitors  shall  break  away  as  far  as  possible  from 
the  ordinary  formal  arrangement  of  groups  of  Chrysanthemums 
for  exhibition  jiurposes.” 
Mr.  Norman  Davis,  Framfield,  Sussex,  wa.s  an  easy  first, 
the  groups  did  not  need  a  second  glance ;  and  Messrs.  J.  Peed 
and  Son,  Roupell  Park  Nurseries,  West  Norwood,  S.E.,  came 
second.  The  latter  set  up  a  conical,  even  mass,  and  certainly 
had  made  no  attempt  to  comply  with  the  schedule  Note  which 
we  print  above.  Mr.  Davis’s  group  was  a  model  of  excellence. 
Round  the  base  were  purple  IMahonia,  and  throughout  the  group 
were  standard  Crotons,  and  tall  vases  filled  with  his  Mrs.  Mease 
and  Madame  Carnot  Chrysanthemums  amongst  others.  In  the 
body  of  the  group  (it  was  mostly  below  the  eye)  were  masses  of 
blossoms,  with  Kentias,  Eulalia,  Ferns,  and  Asparagus. 
Great  Vase  Class. 
Class  2,  for  twelve  vases  of  Japanese  blooms,  distinct,  five 
blooms  of  each,  for  the  first  prize  of  ten  guineas  and  Sir  E. 
Saunders’  Memorial  gold  medal,  brought  out  a  couple  of  excellent 
displays.  Mr.  C.  Beckett,  gardener  to  Sir  W.  G.  Pearce,  Bart., 
Chilton  Lodge,  Hungerford,  led  off  with  large  but  not  very  refined 
fl.owers.  Reading  from  left  to  right  they  were  :  Gen.  Hutton, 
Mrs.  J.  Bryant,  Mrs.  W.  Mease,  Mrs.  F.  W.  Vallis,  F.  S.  Vallis, 
Mrs.  Barkley,  Mrs.  A.  R.  Knight,  W.  R.  Church  (good),  Madame 
C.  Naglemackers,  J.  R.  Fpt-on,  Geo.  Penford,  and  Madame  Paolo 
Radaelli.  The  latter  two  were  good.  Mr.  R.  Kenyon,  gardener 
to  J.  R.  Twentyman,  Esq.,  Monkhams,  Woodford  Green,  was  a 
fair  second,  his  best  being  Bessie  Godfrey,  F.  S.  Vallis,  Mr.  T. 
Carrington,  and  W.  R.  Church.  Only  two  competed. 
