The Canadian Horticulturist. 15 



THREE JUDGES, OR ONE. 



N your December number I notice this question, by Thos. Holloway : 

 " Is the one judge system at fairs an advantage over three ?" This is 

 f/ a question that has been much discussed, but so far no definite con- 

 clusion has been come to. I feel that the advice you append to his 

 question is the sound one. And in support of this I will give an 

 instance of it that came under my notice this fall. Three judges were 

 appointed ; two of them were local men, the other considered as an 

 expert from a distance. After the prizes were awarded this expert returned to 

 the building and openly declared he was not responsible for such judgment, 

 pointing out the errors that had been made, and declaring he was overpowered 

 by the two local men. So far astray had they gone that it was a noticeable 

 feature amongst those that were acquainted with horticulture. Some went so 

 far as to say ignorance could not do this, and imputed it to sinister motives as 

 being the only possible cause. Now, had this one judge been left alone, his 

 judgment would have been acknowledged as right, even amongst the competitors 

 themselves. I have considerable experience with the working of horticultural 

 societies, and know how hard a matter it is to please all parties where there is 

 close competition and many parts in it. But when they are so far apart as this 

 I have instanced, it tends only to disorganize and produce many inharmonious 

 results which should not exist in such societies. So I say with you, appoint 

 qualified judges for the different branches that now exist amongst horticulturists 

 acquainted with the progress of the present age. The cost should be of little 

 consideration, in consideration of the baneful effects of such bad judgment. 

 Now-a-days a man may be a good judge on plants and yet have little or no 

 conception of the florist's branch. Such are frequently associated together with 

 professionals for one set of judges. The art is now so distinct that only a florist 

 is capable of dealing with bouquets, roses, carnations, chrysanthemums, table, 

 mantle, or other decorations especially belonging to their branch. Fruit has 

 made so many changes in the past few years that it must be difficult to find men 

 that have kept themselves up to the times. Vegetables may be less difficult, as 

 the changes are more generally known. I perfectly agree with you ; get proper 

 judges at any cost if you wish to give confidence to exhibitors and the public. 



Supt. Grounds, Ottawa. ' N. Robertson. 



Wheatland Peach.- Mr. E. Tyhurst, of Leamington, writes as follows 

 concerning this peach :— " I have some trees of the Wheatland Teach set out 

 for three years, but, so far, they have yielded very few specimens. They are 

 medium in size, and of fair quality. I think it would be a fairly good peach for 

 market ; indeed I have no doubt that it will sell well, but I fear the tree will 

 only be a medium bearer. It looks healthy, and possibly age may improve its 

 productive qualities." 



