CHAPTER X 



HINTS FOR EXHIBITORS 



THE spread of the allotment movement has brought 

 in its train a whole host of local exhibitions where 

 valuable prizes are offered for choice specimens of 

 vegetables. Accordingly, we find that men who twelve 

 months ago were ignorant of the difference between a 

 spade and a hoe are now keenly competing one against 

 another in the production of crisp cabbages, attenuated 

 beans and record carrots. All this is as it should be, 

 for the grower who strives to rear prize crops must 

 study the art and science of vegeculture and become 

 master of all the most approved methods. But, and this 

 is a point we wish to emphasise, some exhibitors of our 

 acquaintance give their whole time and land to the nurs- 

 ing of a handful of seedlings or plants which reward 

 their sponsors by numerous " firsts " on show day. 

 Such ambitious cultivation is most commendable, but 

 it does not help to solve in any measurable degree the 

 food question, which should be our first consideration 

 to-day. Therefore, while we urge the reader to allot 

 some portion of his energies to the rearing of prize speci- 

 mens, we must point out that all such work needs to be 

 kept subservient to the growing of bumper crops. 



Would-be exhibitors are advised to sow seeds intended 

 for prize culture a trifle more thinly than usual and rear 

 the seedlings, generally, in soil richer than customary. 



