Vol. V. No. 106. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



155 



JUDGING FRUIT AND VEGETABLES AT 

 SHOWS. 



Mr. T. R. Sim, F. L. S., Conservator of Forests, 

 contributes to the Natal Af/ricidfitrnl Journal 

 a useful paper on the above subject. The writer refers 

 to the difficulties experienced at agricultural and 

 horticultural shows i-esulting in part from inaccurate 

 working of the prize list and regulations and in part 

 from the absence of a recognized set of principles 

 guiding both exhibitors and judges. 



The following points are given as of first impor- 

 tance : — 



Exhibits should be strictly in accordance with the rules 

 •of the society, and any departure therefrom should disqualify. 



Each .specimen should belong without doubt to the class 

 in which it is exhibited. 



The presence of insect pests should disqualify. If plants 

 or fruits are in such condition through presence of pests that 

 they would not be allowed to enter or leave the colony under 

 the import regulations of this and adjoining colonies, they 

 are unfit for an exhibition table. So, also, fruit infested with 

 maggots is unfit foi- show and should disqualify. 



Excellence in the exhibit itself should receive attention 

 rather than the way in which the exhibit is shown. 



Each article shown should be in proper condition for 

 exhibiting. This includes that, unless otherwise specified, 

 fruit should be fit for immediate use and vegetables tit for 

 cooking or salad. 



The prizes should be awarded according to the general 

 excellence of the exhibit. By this I mean that all exhibits 

 should be judged on the principle of giving the prize to the 

 one that excels in the majority of the points by which that 

 kind of exhibit is always judged rather than any special 

 point. 



Societies should avoid offering prizes for classes which 

 are not in season at the date of the show, as this reduces 

 the money available for other classes, and usually brings 

 forward only wretched material, if any. 



Where a number of specimens are wanted of a kind, they 

 should be all of one variety. 



FRUIT. 



Condition. — Dessert fruit should be ripe and mellow and 

 -fit for immediate use, except in cases where fruit for 

 keeping or export is required. Culinary fruit should be in 

 the condition in which it is required in the kitchen. Fruits 

 which do not mature on the tree, or which mature as well or 

 better when stored after being pulled, should still be in 

 mellow condition, brought about by such means. This 

 includes most apples, pears, mangos, custard apples, and 

 bananas, and does not exclude citrus fruits so treated. 



Size and colour both require attention in different 

 •degrees in the various subjects. Size without even grading 

 and without fine surface counts but little ; with these, so 

 long as coarseness is avoided, it is a useful quality. 



Fruits showing rough form, plucking without the stalk, 

 •or injury of any kind, should lose marks, while scale, scab, 

 etc., on the surface or maggots inside should disqualify. 



Where fruit fit for keeping or export is required, the 

 stage of ripeness to suit the proposed storage is most 

 important. This may vary in accordance with the market 

 proposed to be supplied. 



VEGETABLES. 



With vegetables, as with other classes,, condition and 

 •quality are essential. 



Form is generally important, neatness in this respect 

 being always in demand. 



Cleanness is another essential. Generally this refers to 

 freedom from the attacks of insects and the absence of 

 superfluous roots. 



Flavour is also important. 



Size counts for little in most cases, though, of course, 

 size combined with other qualities gives added value. 



It will be seen that to be an efficient judge one 

 I'equires a practical knowledge of all the classes he has to 

 judge, not only as they appear on the market or exhibition 

 table but also through every stage of earlier development. 

 This can only be obtained by having grown and shown 

 personally. 



EXPORTS OF TOBAGO. 



In forwarding to the Imperial Commissioner of 

 Agriculture a copy of the return of produced shipped 

 from Tobago during the year ended March 31, 1906, 

 Mr. J. T. Rosseau, the Warden, writes as follows : — 



As you will observe the total is nearly £.30,000, an 

 increase of £5,000 over the previous year. 



The return of cacao is, I think particularly satisfactory, 

 2,500 bags of 165 lb. each, as against 1,050 for last year. 

 It is true the crop last j'ear was very short — 500 bags less 

 than the previous year — but still the increase is substantial. 



There was also an increase of £1,000 in the value of 

 cattle exported. Cotton, too, has increased, though the 

 amount is still small. 



The Government has loaned to Dr. Latour one of the 

 Sea Island cotton gins, on condition that he gins, free of 

 charge, any cotton brought to the mill by the peasantry, so 

 I hope a much larger area will be planted this year. 



The following table shows the quantit}' and value 

 of the exports of some of the products of Tobago during 

 the year ended March 31, 1906 :— 



RETURN OF PRODUCE SHIPPED FROM TOBAGO, 1905-6. 



* There is some doubt as to this item. 



