Cairneyhill Gardeners

MEARNS LEADER – FRIDAY 17TH AUGUST 1917

COOKNEY SMALLHOLDERS MEET AT CAIRNEYHILL: COMMERCIAL GARDENING UNDER GLASS

The following is extracted from the August number of ‘The Scottish Smallholder’ – the first two delegates to visit Cairneyhill small holdings under the scheme recent described in ‘The Scottish Smallholder’ were from Cookney Society, near Stonehaven, one of the youngest and most promising of the Agricultural Co-operative Societies affiliated to the Scottish Smallholders Organisation. The local society appointed the secretary, Mr Chalmers, Blackbutts, and Mr Milne, Cookney, as delegates. The following is a short report sent by Mr Chalmers: Cairneyhill is situated a few miles distant from Dunfermline, and has a railway station within half a mile of the holdings. The delegates were met by Mr James MacDonald, who was at great pains to describe fully the methods adopted in order to produce the fine results everywhere in evidence. Mr W Philp, chairman of the Cairneyhill Agricultural Co-operative Society, accompanied the delegates over the different holdings.

In the commercial gardening section, on arrival at Mr McDonald’s nurseries, the first thing that fixed the attention was the line of frames. These are all built of brick, and are heated throughout with hot-water pipes. At the time of visiting the frames were filled with remarkably healthy-looking plants – onions, leeks, celery, tomatoes etc. All were in the very best condition, and showed that they had been well attended by the grower. The later additions to the frames are of the span-roofed style, covered by double rows of sashes. A wooden beam runs from one gable of the frames to the other, and on this the top ends of the side sashes rest. Mr McDonald explained that this type of frame is a great advantage over the lean-to type, as there is a considerable saving in brickwork, through doing away with the two highest walls. Having a wider expanse of glass, there is also more benefit derived from the sun and less shade as compared with the ordinary lean-to style. An ingenious yet simple contrivance for fastening down the frames in windy weather was noted. A wire is run round the frames and fixed in to the brickwork by means of iron pegs with eyes. Loops of wire are fixed to the main wire at the places required, and these are slipped over the ‘lugs’ of the sashes, thus making it impossible for them to be blown off.

Concluding, the report says: ‘The other holdings visited were all of great interest, but space will not permit of description. In the poultry section Mr D Bold’s holding was an ideal arrangement, and Mr G Johnstone’s piggeries were well worth seeing. The delegates wish to record their warmest thanks to Mr and Mrs MacDonald for their kind hospitality’.