386 The Canadian Horticulturist. 



JUDGING FRUITS BY POINTS. 



HE Editor of the Waterloo Chronicle certainly makes some sen- 

 sible remarks on fruit exhibits, in writing up the North Waterloo 

 Exhibition, such as (i) his recommendation that no prize be 

 offered for plants of varieties that are poor in quality, or unpro- 

 fitable to grow ; (2) that exhibitors should be made acquainted 

 with some of the important points taken into consideration 

 by judges, as retaining full stem, being of normal shape and color, freedom from 

 blemish, etc. 



There is no doubt that this would be accomplished, and at the same time 

 the work of the judges made much more exact and uniform, if we could prepare 

 scales of points, and score cards for the use of judges, which would also be seen 

 and read by exhibitors. 



Such a course would also prevent much haphazard work ; much "jumping'' 

 at conclusions, and therefore it seems important that some steps should be taken 

 toward more careful work on the part of our judges. Simply in the way of sug- 

 gestion for future consideration, we propose the preparing of score cards for 

 Apples — with some such points as the followmg : — 



For single plates. — Form, 10. Size, 10, Color, to. Clearness, 20. Total 

 number of marks, 50. 



For collections — (a) for dessert; each variety, 10 marks, divided thus — 

 Color, 3. Size, i. Clearness, 4. Form, 2. To this add the standard value 

 of each variety as given in the fruit catalogue published by the Ontario Fruit 

 Growers' Association, for dessert, home and foreign market, and to the total 

 add, say, a maximum of 10 marks for the way in which the varieties have been 

 selected to cover the season. 



(b) For cooking; each variety 10 marks, divided thus, Size, 3. Color, i- 

 Form, 2. Clearness, 2. Freedom from worms, 2. To this add the value, 

 according to the above-mentioned catalogue for cooking, home market, and 

 foreign market ; and then to the total add 10 marks for the way in which 

 the collections have been selected, with an eye to covering the greatest length of 

 time. 



We have said nothing about nomenclature, which is an all-important point, 

 but of course every variety in a collection, which is wrongly named, should be 

 ruled out of count entirely. 



Grapes. — Of course quite a different set of points must be observed in 

 judging grapes from those observed in the case of apples. Mr. George T. Powell, 

 of Ghent, N. Y., suggests the following schedule, viz.. Flavor, 10 points. Size, 5. 

 Color, 5. Symmetry, 5. Firmness, 5. Making a total of 30 points to repre- 

 sent a perfect fruit. This scale would apply to single plates. If collections 

 were under consideration, these points would need to be grouped to make, say^ 

 TO for perfection of its kind to each variety, and to the value thus attained, add 

 its value as shown in our Grape Catalogue. 



