Great International Fruit and Elower Show at Edinburgh, September 8 and 9.

It must be confessed that, in every sense of the word, that was one of the grandest exhibitions of Grapes ever held; notwithstanding, there was a falling off in other fruits. Grapes were not only largely represented, but they were of the finest quality; and in regard to variation, it was a very interesting exhibition, as so many kinds were produced, giving a good opportunity to compare sorts. Some of the plants were finely shown, and were worthy the best exhibition ever held. Hollyhocks, both in spikes and cut flowers, were grand. Dahlias had suffered from the recent frosts.

But the fruit was yet the feature of the Show, and in the large room in which the several lots were arranged, there the crowd of visitors congregated from the opening of the Exhibition till its close. In a space so restricted as ours it is impossible to go into full details of what was exhibited on this occasion, so we must confine ourselves to referring to some of the leading classes about which the popular interest appeared to be largely attracted. One of the most singular features of the show was the bringing to the fore in such a conspicuous manner of an entirely new exhibitor, Mr George Johnston, gardener to Earl Strathmore, Glamis Castle. The victories gained by Mr Johnston were not only numerous, but in many instances singularly decisive. It may here be stated that the Grapes shown by Mr Johnston were from Vines three years planted, and growing in aerated borders. "Whether this system be correct or not (and high authorities are divided on this point), there can be no doubt but that on this occasion the principle of aerated borders has produced splendid results; though whether these results are of a fitful, and consequently uncertain, character, or whether they are certain and enduring, remains to be seen.

It is, however, a remarkable circumstance that Mr Fowler, who was all-powerful four years ago, was not an exhibitor on this occasion, his borders being aerated.

Mr Johnston had a decisive victory in the class for eight varieties of Grapes - one bunch of each. He had Black Morocco, very fine indeed; Raisin du Calabre, also fine; Lady Downes Seedling; Duchess of Buccleuch, a grand though small-berried Grape, perhaps unsurpassed for flavour; Black Hamburg, Muscat of Alexandria, Muscat Hamburg, and Alicante, very finely finished. 2d, Mr Ban-nerman, gardener to Lord Bagot, Rugby, with Alicante, Gros Guillaume, Muscat of Alexandria, Lady Downes, Black Teneriffe, Mrs Pince, West's St Peter's, and Black Hamburg. 3d, Mr Thomson, Dalkeith, with Black Hamburg, Muscat of Alexandria, very fine; Mrs Pince, Trebbiano, Golden Champion in fine condition, and looking all over a first-class Grape; Lady Downes, the new white Lady Downes, to all appearance a splendid late Grape, and Alicante. Messrs Lane & Son of Berkhampstead also exhibited. With four kinds of Grape3, one bunch of each, Mr William Bryden, gardener to Sir William Wallace, Lochryan House, Wigtownshire, had an excellent lot, well up in size both in bunch and berry; his Golden Hamburg was quite first-rate, and so was Alicante, with very good Bowood Muscat and Muscat Hamburg. Mr M'Connochie, gardener to A. Smollett, Esq., Cameron House, Dumbartonshire, had Black Morocco, Muscat of Alexandria, Black Prince, and Hamburg, very good and uniform.

Mr William Meade, gardener to Raikes Currie, Esq., Minely Manor, had Muscat Hamburg very fine in his group. Mr Bannerman had Gros Guillaume in good order; Mr Meredith, who was not placed, had Hamburg and Lady Downes, good; and Mr Lees, Tynninghame, had also a fair collection. In the two-bunch Black Hamburg, two Muscat of Alexandria, one bunch of each of the above named, one Alicante, one Lady Downes, one flavoured white, Duchess of Buccleuch, one flavoured black, Muscat Hamburg; one finest bloom, the Alicante just referred to, and a collection of Grapes, not included in other classes - in these ten different classes, wonderful to relate, Mr Johnston was first. All his Grapes showed excellent cultivation, and for a young exhibitor the wonder is how he brought and staged them so safely without destroying the bloom. If there was one bunch more than another that created almost a sensation, it was the Alicante, so finely grown in the first instance as to assume model proportions, and then so densely covered with bloom as if it had been under the influence of a "heavy dew" out of doors. In these classes, keeping out the collection of Grapes and the bloom, there were from seventeen to twenty-four entries, showing how well the prizes were contested.

Mr Bryden took second prize with good Muscat of Alexandria. Mr Louden, gardener to T. Barnes, Esq., Salop, had the best ripened bunches, but the berries were small. Mr Kirk-patrick, gardener to Lord Abercromby, Airthrey Castle, had fine bunches; and so had Mr Ingram, Alnwick, and Mr Lees. Mr Meade and Mr Ingram had good single bunches of Muscat of Alexandria. Mr Bannerman had a good second lot of Lady Downes. Mr Brunton, gardener to Sir D. Kin-loch, Gilmerton; Mr Fraser, Biggar; and Mr Meredith, also had good dishes.

In Black Hamburg Mr M'Connochie had a nicely-formed bunch, -which took second place; Mr James Hannah, gardener to John Duncan, Esq., Burnhead; Mr J. Anderson, gardener to J. F. Webb, Esq., Newstead Abbey, Nottingham, and others, had fine fruit. Mr Wm. Melville, gardener, Glenlee, New Galloway, had the second prize for Alicante; Mr George Greig, gardener to Win. Christie, Esq., Greenpark, Liberton, and Mr M'Millan, also showing well. For Hamburg in pairs there were twenty-three entries, Mr Walker Bassett, gardener to J. S. Philips, Esq., Cheadle, running the winner very hard for position, backed up well by Mr Stevens, Trentham. The finest-flavoured Grapes in white and black, out of respectively nineteen and seventeen entries, were declared to be Duchess of Buccleuch and Muscat Hamburg; Mr Jno. Brunton taking position after Mr Johnston. The heaviest black Grape (Black Hamburg, 6 lb. 4 oz.) came from Mr James Douglas, gardener to F. Whitbourne, Esq., Loxford Hall, Essex, and Mr Laing - both Hamburgs; and the heaviest white was a Brobdingnagian Syrian, weighing 16 1/2 lb., and in good general order.