186 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



again often divided and set down as 3d. or 9d., as the case 

 demanded, and the columns added together gave the result. It 

 is as easy as A, B, C, and the acute florist, Mr. Ben Simonite, 

 said it was the best system he had ever seen. Though I know 

 there is no other in which the virtues of the blooms can be so 

 accurately determined and tabulated, 1 force it on no one, and 

 in nineteen cases out of twenty the subdivision can be dispensed 

 with. If anyone wishes to see a practical example of it they 

 can find it in the " Chrysanthemum Annual" for 1888. 



Time is an clement in judging, especially when that great 

 blot of exhibitions, late staging, is allowed, and the quickest way 

 even in pointing has had to be sought for. I think Mr. James 

 Douglas has found it. Instead of taking the rows in a twenty- 

 four bloom stand from left to right and setting down the value of 

 each; he takes them from back to front in threes — says 6, 5, 4 

 points (mentally) — total 15, and so on with the eight cross rows,, 

 then adding up. That saves figures ; and if what may be termed 

 half points are recognised — thus, 5, 3.^, as may be determined, 

 we have 14 points to set down. I believe then we should be prac- 

 tically free from errors, and justice would be done in the shortest 

 possible time. 



Do you ask what kind of blooms score the most points ? I 

 answer, not necessarily the largest in the incurved section if they 

 are loose, flat, rough, or stale ; they must possess depth in pro- 

 portion with width, firmness, freshness, brightness, clearness, 

 and smartness. There is the difference, to use a familiar simile, 

 between the well-formed, well-groomed, fine upstanding hunter, 

 and the rough, shaggy, burly, slouching carthorse. How to pro- 

 duce and present the blooms in the best form is a question for 

 cultivators. I cannot dwell on that. Time does not permit. I 

 have gone on too long, but I hope you will remember that in 

 writing, judging, growing, criticising, though we may each and 

 all do our best honestly, and I hope pleasantly — all striving for 

 the same goal, excellence — yet after all, and the best that all can 

 do, this we must never forget, that " to err is human." 



