398 THE GARDENER. [Sept. 



PKOPERTIES OF FRUIT, &c. — FRUIT- JUDGING. 



There seems at the present time nothing less understood by a great 

 number of practical gardeners than the properties of fruits. Seldom 

 do we visit a show, but we find the opinions of exhibitors and others 

 as varied as the articles on the exhibition tables. The standards by 

 which the decisions are given change almost as often as fresh judges 

 are brought into the field. "We had proof strong enough last year, 

 when Grape-judging was so freely discussed, that there seemed to be 

 no real standard by which their merits were decided. That question, 

 I believe, still remains open; and while it does so, can we be surprised 

 at the rise and fall of Horticultural Societies? It is impossible that 

 they can have that support by growers to which they are entitled. If 

 a young exhibitor, for the first time, brings for competition fruit 

 which both his employer and himself believe to be of the best quality 

 (all the necessary points having been duly considered), and finds the 

 censors give their verdict in favour of fruit which said exhibitor 

 would consider unfit for his employer's table, he would begin to in- 

 quire by what " points " they decided ? A bitter pill would of course 

 have to be swallowed, with a resolve to make up his mind next time 

 to exhibit by the standard of what he might consider to be that of the 

 society. But " many men, many minds." A change of judges gives a 

 change of " points," and the second case is as unfortunate as the first, 

 as then genuine quality, perhaps, would be considered and under- 

 stood, and a verdict given accordingly. If the standard of quality had 

 been adhered to in the first case as it was in the second, the hopeful 

 exhibitor would probably have become a successful competitor and 

 warm supporter of the society, instead of withdrawing his name from 

 the list of members in disgust. From such facts (and many of them 

 have come under my notice of late years) it is not to be wondered at 

 that complaints are made about so few entering as competitors for 

 such tempting prizes as are ofi'ered by some of the great societies. 

 We read in a contemporary that many of the articles at the great show 

 held in Manchester were barely a competition, but the prizes for them 

 were taken almost without opposition. People in the country must 

 know what they should take, and what to leave at home, before they 

 spend money and time exhibiting. What is wanted would be a 

 proper standard, which would meet the wants of all the societies in 

 the country. The properties of fruits and vegetables in print, and re- 

 cognised by the leading authority as being correct, would be one of 

 the most valuable additions to our garden literature extant. Glenny's 

 work on the properties of flowers is universally recognised by our most 

 enthusiastic amateurs as being a safe guide, and it is most exten- 



