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JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ June 9, 1863. 



geometrical arrangement of beds — such arrangements can be 

 hBd in endless variety by the aid of a kaleideseope ; the great 

 merit is in planting the beds artistically. 



Some persons are so mistaken as to think that the beauty of a 

 flower garden is enhanced by the multitudinous variety of the 

 forms of the beds. So far is this from being the case, that the 

 beauty depends upon simplicity and just balancing both of the 

 forms of the beds and of the colours -which fill them. 



Relative to form we may further particularise, that it is a 

 great error to have many points and acute angles in beds sur- 

 rounded by turf, for such points and angles can never be filled 

 with plants. If the beds are enclosed by tiles or stone edging, 

 such points are less difficult to leave occupied, yet even then 

 curves and circles are always more graceful. 



JUDGING GAEDEN PRODUCE, 



A2JD OF COTTAGEBs' GABDENS MOBE ESPECIALLY. 

 Coksidebable discussion took place some months since about 

 -the points of merit which constitute a really good bunch of 

 Black Grapes, Mr. Thomson, than whom it would be difficult 

 to find a higher authority, not giving so much importance to 

 colour as some others would like to do. My purpose, however, 

 is not to revive this question on the mere subject of judging 

 the merits of rival Grapes, but to open the general subject of 

 judging horticultural produce of other kinds, in order that the 

 anomalies which unfortunately now and then make their appear- 

 amce may be fewer if not done away with entirely. 



It is certainly no credit to fruit-growers as a body, that no 

 code of laws deciding the points of excellence to be aimed at 

 has been promulgated ; while florists have to a nicety laid down 

 the rules for guiding them on each of the subjects especially 

 under their culture; and as now and then new members are 

 added, like new colonies to an empire, new laws are put forth 

 by which the new accessions have to be governed. Unfortunately, 

 in fruits there is nothing of the kind, each judge sets up a stand- 

 ard for himBelf, and awards of an equivocal character meet the eye. 

 It certainly would be worth while some one putting forth a few 

 simple rules indicating what points constituted excellence in a 

 Pine Apple, Peach, Nectarine, Apple, Pear, Plum, &c, as well 

 as in Grapes ; and although it iB not likely that any law can give 

 all the mihutite in the exact proportions so requisite to each fruit, 

 it is likely that amongst the multitude of councillors a more 

 correct awarding may be arrived at. 



Societies formed expressly for the testing the merits of fruits 

 are, nevertheless, unwilling to put forth the rules they act upon 

 in their censorship. That it would be difficult to adopt such 

 rule3 in all cases is unquestionable, but something like Mr. 

 Thomson's ten points might indicate to the public at large what 

 to aim at in new varieties, cr in growing those they already 

 possess. As a suggestion to those who may be inclined to 

 favour us with their views on this subject, I would suggest that 

 the qualifications which constitute perfection might be divided 

 into a tabular form, ten numerals being divided in such pro- 

 portions amongst the various points of excellence as may be 

 deeuied most advisable. Some minor quality might only have 

 half a point, while more important qualities may have two or 

 three. This arithmetical way of acting is certainly the most 

 easily explained, and carries greater expressiveness with it than 

 any other mode that could be adopted. 



It would be more difficult to embody anything like the above 

 rules of action into the judging of collections of plants ; but 

 collections of fruit might easily be judged by some law analogous 

 to that which governs the adjudication on single specimens. In 

 this case a higher table of numbers might be used, and supposing 

 every fruit exhibited was as near perfection as possible, the 

 award ought to be given to the collection which contains the 

 best specimens of fruits more choice than the others. For in- 

 stance : .assuming 100 to be the maximum number of merit, 

 and a basket of mixed fruits to be looked at, it would only be 

 fair to place a well-grown Pine Apple at 90 or 95, while a Plum, 

 even if as good as it was possible to grow one, should not stand 

 higher, perhaps, than 15 ; a Peach, 40 ; bunch of Grapes, 70 or 

 80 or more ; a Pear, 15 ; an Apple, 10 ; and other fruits in pro- 

 portion to their choiceness and the skill required in growing 

 them. 



This is only an ideal approximation of what a really good col- 

 lection might be estimated at, and the sum total of the figures 

 added together might determine the point between rival col- 



lections. Doubtless, Bome one may differ from me respecting 

 the proportion above given to each fruit, and I am far from 

 certain that it is exactly as I would give it myself when seeing 

 the specimens exhibited ; but I throw the hint out as something 

 to found a set of rules upon. 



Leaving the subject of the adjudicating on collections of plants 

 to some one else, I will allude to another subject in which much 

 difference of plan exists ; and some for the want of any plan at all 

 put themselves to much unnecessary trouble, and yet are liable 

 often to decide more or less erroneously on the subjects they 

 are directed to give an opinion upon. 



It is more easy to decide a point of merit between contending 

 objects when they are both before the eye of the censor in one 

 place ; but when he has to examine these objects at wide dis- 

 tances apart, and, perhaps, has to determine the respective claims 

 of a Bcore or more competitors, something more than merely 

 carrying all the points of merit of each in the memory is neces- 

 sary. This difficulty is much increased when the numbers are 

 still larger, and the objects widely scattered. Notes of some kind 

 or other are indispensable, and the simpler such notes are the 

 better, provided they are sufficient. 



A method which I have adopted for several years, and which 

 when acting in conjunction with others I have always found 

 them ready to adopt, although simple, may be worth recording 

 in the columns of your Journal, for the assistance of others 

 similarly circumstanced. 



The laudable desire on the part of some noble-minded land- 

 owners in this neighbourhood, as well as of those wham I have 

 the honour to serve, has for many years evinced itself in the 

 giving of prizes for well-managed cottage gardens and premises, 

 and in several instances shows of horticultural produce have 

 been held and liberal prizes given. At these many of the pro- 

 ducts exhibited would have graced any show in the kingdom. 

 Of this possibly I may say something hereafter, but it is more 

 especially ray purpose to treat on the prizes given for the 

 good management of their gardens, which is a much more diffi- 

 cult matter to adjudicate upon than comparing the contending 

 objects when exhibited together in a tent ; and this difficulty is 

 increased when a number of prizes of different values are given, 

 and the gardens are scattered widely apart over a rural district, 

 sometimes three or four together, but often solitary. 



In propounding my plan I expect to be charged with a pre- 

 dilection for figures — a charge to which I at once plead guilty, 

 as my plan is based entirely on figures, and in the case alluded 

 to I rarely use any other notes. The way is this : — I place the 

 ideal perfection at 100, and as I have never yet seen any- 

 thing that in every point reached that position, I fix on the 

 nearest number to it that the merits of the garden seem to 

 deserve. Assuming, therefore, that the vegetable crops are 

 good, the fruit trees healthy, hedges or fences trim, walks tidy, 

 and the whole place in apple-pie order, a quick yet careful survey 

 of the whole will with little practice soon point out to the in- 

 spector what number to assign to the holder of that garden, 

 which may, perhaps, be 80, and if the two or three judges agree 

 on the number to be affixed to the first object they inspect, it is 

 likely the difference, even without any knowledge of each other's 

 notes, will be but trifling throughout. Some very indifferent 

 holdings may be as low in the scale as 30, or even less for a 

 dirty disorderly place, while a great number will, in all proba- 

 bility, be represented by between 50 and 70. Still, at the conclu- 

 sion of the inspection, a short time will suffice to arrange the 

 respective positions of the whole — as A B, 85 ; C D, 83 ; E E, 

 78, and so on; so that whatever number of prizes may be 

 awarded there will be no difficulty in awarding them by a 

 reference to the table-form that has guided the judgment. 



I have on more than one occasion assisted to award Buch 

 prizes in which there were one firat prize, two or three second 

 prizes, and a still greater number of a third and fourth class ; and 

 also a fifth class has sometimes been added, where the number of 

 recipients of prizes has been, perhaps, nearly one-half of the 

 competitors. Of course each class decreases in value as it recedes 

 downwards ; and there may be some who may find fault with 

 making so many prizetakers, but I unhesitatingly say that I 

 entirely agree with it ; for local circumstances, as a bad situation 

 and other disadvantages, would make it hopeless for the most 

 industrious and painstaking cottager at one place to compete 

 with another more favourably circumstanced ; but while he 

 stands a chance of obtaining a prize he will try to do his best. 

 I believe we have placed as many as eighteen names as winners 

 in a fourth or fifth class. 



