290 THE ORCHID REVIEW. 
awards would indicate, and therefore the difference must arise from the 
different standard of merit adopted by the two societies—or, perhaps it 
would be better to say the different inducement offered to exhibitors to 
bring their plants. Some time ago it was proposed to establish a sort of 
“Hall Mark” of Merit for Orchids, and it would be interesting to know 
which Society is doing the most to further this end. 
In commenting on the awards at the Hybridisation Conference held last 
year, I alluded to the presence of meritorious exhibits which were not 
adjudicated upon by the Orchid Committee, apparently owing to some 
informality in the matter of a special entry. I then suggested that the 
necesity of a’special entry might very well be abolished, and that an exhibit — 
which had gone through any formalities necessary to allow it to appear at 
the meeting should then be entitled to the consideration of the Committee, 
if of sufficient merit. Those who care to refer back to page 260 of our last 
volume will see that there were good grounds for the remarks, and some- 
thing very similar has since occurred. The Floral Committee, however, 
which formerly looked after the interests of the Orchids, seems to be 
troubled in another way, judging by the remarks of one of its members. 
“WaNTED—A CrENsorR.—Such a person seems to be becoming in- 
creasingly necessary in relation to the meetings of the Floral Committee, 
someone who shall have the power to reject as unworthy of notice subjects 
which only waste the time of the Committee when brought on to the table, 
as they are frequently of an inferior character and unworthy of considera- 
tion. The tendency to submit inferior subjects is on the increase, 4 
needs to be checked in some manner. A Member.”—Gard. Chrot+» 
Aug. 25, p. 154. a 
Another member (Sept. 1, p. 174) thinks “ that the remark is so much to 
the point that it ought to bear some practical fruit,” and that the time of 
the Committee “is largely wasted by exhibits of quite obvious worthless- 
ness.” The:remedy proposed is that when exhibits of ‘‘no obvious merit ” 
are presented the Chairman shall direct that they be set aside pro tem., and 
that the Committee should go and have a look at them at the close of the 
sitting ‘‘to determine whether there is anything of merit among them 
or not.” 
If the remarks had concerned the Orchid Committee, I should have 
suggested that if the members were to walk round the tables perhaps they 
might be able to find out the objects of merit for themselves. ted 
