212 Management of Horticultural Societies. 



but surely it is money thrown away to award prizes to dishes 

 of fruit or vegetables, when better can be purchased in the 

 market by the bushel. 



The third proposition is, that any production, to entitle the 

 grower to a prize, or even to exhibition, must be either a new 

 variety or above the average quality of known sorts. It is 

 one of the evils of horticultural shows, that the majority of 

 productions are neither new nor above the average quality-', 

 and consequently have no business there. It is difficult, to 

 be sure, to prevent this. The best mode is, perhaps, to throw 

 open the shows and prizes as much as possible to the public, 

 and not confine them to the members, or perhaps distribute 

 prizes, in money or medals, at the option of the successful 

 competitors, to all comers ; while, for lesser prizes, or for con- 

 tributions, the simple issue of cards, of free admission, for one 

 or more seasons, to those parties not members, whose contri- 

 butions may be judged worthy of this acknowledgment, 

 would have a good effect, for it is not the amount or intrinsic 

 value of the prize, as it is the correct judgment in the distri- 

 bution. This is shown in the London Metropolitan Society, 

 which hardly professes to give prizes of value, but whose 

 awards carry more weight and are more regarded than any 

 society in England. The prizes, we understand, in this so- 

 ciety, are small, and the difference between each class of 

 flowers trifling, so that the effect is to draw growers of all 

 pretensions into the same class, and not to dispourage them 

 by hopeless prospects ; few are therefore disappointed, and all 

 are encouraged to compete. The money is a secondary con- 

 sideration with almost every shewer ; the only improvement 

 to be made upon this plan is to substitute medals for money. 



One other obstacle we shall glance at, which has perhaps 

 prevented so active an interest being taken by the public in 

 horticultural societies in this country, and it is the difficulty 

 in procuring a sufficient number of competent judges in the 

 various departments, who shall have solely the progress and 

 encouragement of the science in view, in their decisions. 



In order to increase the number of these, we would suggest 

 the appointment, each year, of different individuals, of influ- 

 ence and taste, who, under the instruction or advice of the 

 members of the society, would soon acquire the necessary 



