14 



'cussion could not occupy a fiftieth part of the time that one on 

 -the whole animal would do (when, as it now is, the three judges can 

 .argue round and round among themselves on the whole 40 points), 

 .and if raised at all, would be decided at a glance, confined as the 

 discussion must be to a single portion, and a small one of the 

 .animal. When judges are once accustomed to the system and 

 go steadily at their work, they would easily be able to point the four 

 or five animals in each class in half an hour, or in three-quarters of 

 .an hour at most, and that, even if there were only one set of judges, 

 would occupy them no more than six hours at the very outside. But 

 supposing that each class, on an average, took as much as an hour 

 (^ which it would never do), and that there was only one set of judges, they 

 would be occupied for seven or eight hours ; and even that could be given, 

 . as they could commence at eight in the morning and work till four in the 

 afternoon, and although this would be a very long day's work, there 

 . are very few of the judges who would be unwilling to undertake it. There 

 is, however, no necessity for thus begging the question, for the judging 

 by points, with even a single set of judges, would never occupy anything 

 like the time here supposed, and, if it did, the judges need not be over- 

 taxed in the least, as a second set could be easily appointed for the class. 



W*ith regard to the third objection that the judges would dislike to 

 judge by points. There are no doubt a good many first-class judges 

 who would at first, perhaps, object to judge by points. They would do 

 so for several reasons. Some of them, and by far the larger number, 

 would decline because they disliked to submit their decisions to the 

 .minute criticism which they imagine judging by points would arouse. 

 Some again and they are comparatively few would object on account 

 -of the trouble the point system would entail. And a very few would do 

 so because they think that they would, by this mode of judging, give too 

 much information, and make others as good judges as themselves. 



With regard to the first of this class of objections, there is no 

 doubt whatever but a very little experience would lead judges to alter 

 iheir opinions. This is the experience of the writer. He has heard 

 judges who were most reluctant to commence judging by points, and 

 who had all but declined to act, declare, when they had finished their 

 work, that they liked judging in that way very much, and would never 

 do so in any other, if they had their choice. In fact, although the 

 writer has seen a good deal of judging by points, he has never met 

 with a good judge who tried this system and did not approve of it. 

 The reason is plain. A good judge would never make a mistake except 

 by overlooking some point or quality which he ought to have observed. 

 This he cannot possibly do in judging by points : for, as has been 

 already noticed, he is point blank asked how the different animals stand 

 in every point and quality they possess ; and as no point or quality can 

 in this way escape his notice, he acquires a confidence in himself under 

 this mode of judging which he cannot feel under any other, and is 



