412 



JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



In fruits and vegetables, quality always rather than size. 



If the judges of vegetables would adopt a common-sense standard and 

 make their awards in favour of the vegetables they would pick out for 

 consumption at their own tables, I doubt whether the large ones in the 

 show would be those most honoured. They would, for instance, in the 

 case of a Cauliflower, choose one that was fairly compact, not one of 

 large size that had the appearance of being gorged with manure or bloated 

 with liquid. 



The standards of the best class of country house, where the mistress is 

 a good housewife, should be borne in mind ; where the diameter of a 

 Brussels Sprout must not exceed five-eighths of an inch, and no large, 

 overgrown vegetables are allowed to come to table. 



Of course such a standard could not be adopted as a general use, for 

 the larger number of consumers require more bulk ; but I much doubt 

 whether anyone really wants the very large, over-fed examples. They 

 merely indicate a certain skill in pushing the thing as far as it will go, 

 the article when produced being relatively valueless. 



Size frequently means false economy. A big Marrow fattens at the 

 expense of the general output, and this truth has a wide application. 



The fruit and kitchen garden is of growing importance in the economy 

 of the household, and gardeners should take heed of the fact. 



I give herewith the opinions of a few men whose judgment is worthy 

 of consideration, and I thank them for their kindness in adding to my 

 notes. 



Mr. Beckett, the well-known grower and exhibitor of vegetables, 

 writes : — 



" Far too much importance is attached to size at the expense of quality 

 and refinement; this, in my opinion, being equally noticeable in flowers, 

 fruit, and vegetables, and except for appearance' sake has in many cases 

 little to recommend it. Among the first named take the Rose. Many of 

 the larger varieties are deficient in that beauty and refinement so notice- 

 able in the smaller and free-flowering varieties, and when cut are not so 

 attractive. 



" Then again the Chrysanthemum. Though large massive blooms have 

 their value, medium-sized highly coloured flowers are generally far more 

 useful. For instance, the charming little Pompons are not so largely 

 grows as they deserve, and many of the more beautiful Japanese and 

 incurved varieties are discarded unless of mammoth size. 



' ( urnations are another instance in the same direction. Medium-sized 

 sweetly scented varieties which contain all the attributes of a perfect 

 bloom are much to be preferred to the larger and coarser ones. 



" Dahlias again may be placed under the same heading in all sections, 

 from tlw large show flower to the delightful little Pompon. Small and 

 medium-sized blooms are better than the larger ones for all purposes 

 excepl perhaps the show board, and the same applies to nearly all florists' 

 flowers, such as Zonal Pelargoniums, Fuchsias, Begonias, Gloxinias, and 

 many others which are in danger of being spoiled by the encouragement of 

 mere size. 



" Fruit, perhaps, is the most important of all in this respect. Far too 



