Grape Culture. 71 



the collections. Next in merit comes Madresfield Court. 

 Proceed with this variety, going over each collection again 

 and awarding the merited number of points to each bunch, 

 and so on until all are thus rightly judged. Black Hamburgh, 

 Muscat Hamburgh, and Mrs. Pince, etc., are all reckoned 

 equivalent to Madresfield Court. Bvery bunch in each prize 

 collection should have the number of points it has secured 

 attached to it. A card on which is printed the maximum 

 number of points for each variety having the number it secures 

 placed on it, is a good system, and one which will become 

 general at all the leading exhibitions. I strongly advise 

 judges to be very careful and place bunch to bunch in each 

 collection before awarding the points. For instance, it some- 

 times happens that, say, a bunch of Black Hamburgh at the 

 one end of the table is awarded 8| points, and a bunch of the 

 same variety at the other end is awarded 7J points. Compare 

 the two bunches side by side, and you will see at once if awards 

 are correct. A judge must be capable of spotting the bad 

 points as well as the good. A perfect bunch should be well 

 coloured with a dense, spotless bloom ; berries large and 

 uniform in size ; perfect in shape ; perfectly thinned ; bunch 

 compact and firm. 



Large loose bunches having berries of various size, spotted, 

 rubbed, shanked, mildew, rust, insect effects, are all defects 

 that judges must be careful not to overlook, being careful to 

 arrive at the correct value of each bunch before awarding the 

 points. 



My Code of Rules. The first point to consider is colour 

 possible points 2. Next, finish or bloom points 2. Third 

 first-class quality possible points 3, as Muscat of Alexandria. 

 Fourth, size and symmetry of bunch possible ij. Fifth, 

 perfectly thinned, with large berries possible ij. 



In all cases I would give second quality two points and third 

 one point. Thus, Muscat of Alexandria would secure a 

 maximum number of ten points. Black Hamburgh and all 

 other Muscats nine points. All other varieties maximum 

 eight points. 



