VEGETABLES AT EDINBURGH.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XL, Issue 1, 4 January 1908, Page 23

VEGETABLES AT EDINBURGH.

FIRST PRIZE DISPLAY. There is generally a keen contest between champion vegetable growers for the valuable prizes offered for a display of eighteen dishes of vegetables at the autumn show at Edinburgh, and a great amount of interest centres in the vegetables, both amongst gardeners and the visiting public, because they have come to look for something good in that class. The first prize for the eighteen dishes was taken by Mr. James Gibson, gardener to the Duke of Portland, Welbeck Abbey, \\ orksop, Notts. We give a description of this exhibit for the benefit of dur readers who have never seen the autumn show at Edinburgh, and also for the benefit of those who are commencing exhibiting vegetables at local shows. Great stress is laid by the judges upon the selection of the vegetables for the best appearance and form and for the taste displayed in arranging them so that every dish will appear to advantage, and readily catch the eye of the beholder. The leeks and celery, having leaves attached, and being the most bulky dishes, are set up behind, and between these are two varieties of cauliflower, also arranged to the best advantage, being embedded in parsley, as is the l>ase of the leeks and celery. The table consists of boarding, with a back to it over the ordinary staging, and this is covered with a piece of dark velvet doth. It will be noticed that the onions stand out very prominently, and this they really do, a| they are raised by an arrangement underneath the velvet doth. The reader will notice that on the right hand are beet, peas, and potatoes, followed by onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, runner beans, tomatoes and onions again, then potatoes, peas, and parsnips. Nothing is confused in this exhibit, and nothing hides imperfections. All the vegetables have, in the first place, been well grown. The celery and leeks well blanched, the cauliflower cut while it was young, firm and white. The onions had attained that degree of ripeness suitable to the period. The roots, such as beets, carrots, and parsnips, are got to suitable size according to their kind, carefully lifted, and as carefully eleaned as tlfe potatoes, without bruising or otherwise marking them. The tomatoes have, of course, been cut when they had attained a proper degree of maturity. The peas are gathered when the pods are quite full, but still quite fresh, and the beans when of suitable size and selected for shape. Furthermore, it may be stated that every member of each dish is selected so that it may be as nearly as possible of the same size as every other unit of that dish. It is altogether a mistake to lift potatoes and to send big and little alike to the show. For instance, verv small potatoes are worthless for exhibition purposes, and monstrous tubers are equally useless, either for that purpose or for the dinner table. The very large tubers mav. therefore, be discarded, as well as the small ones, and the tubers for exhibition selected as nearly of one size and shape as possible. Cucumbers should, of course, be cut l>efore they got too old. of fair length, and straight, with the original bloom on the skin, all these being indications of good cultivation. Jl Ji VITIS INCONSTANS LOWII. This is a new. closely clinging, hardy climber, which appears of much more re fined character even than the well-known Ampelopsis Veitchi. The leaves are almost triangular, and are made up of three leaflets, each triangular. At the end of September they are of a rich bronzy hue. Award of merit by the R.H.S. on October 1, when shown by Messrs. H. Low and Co., Bush Hill Park. Enfield. Ji Ji A STRAIN OF SCABIOUS. The most popular of all the species of Scabious is the annual Scabiosa atropurpurea. which is grown in a great number of gardens, large and small. It is also sometimes grown in pots for the decoration of the conservatory in winter and spring. A very fine strain of well-grown plants was shown by Messrs. Dobbie and Co., Rothesay, at the meeting of the R.H.S. on October 1, and accorded an award of merit for the strain. The varieties were numerous, including those with rose, flesh, white, black, brick-red. cherryred. and white, blackish purple, lilac, and other hues. When well grown it is handsome for cut-flower purposes.