THE ADVANTAGES AND EVILS OF SIZE IN FLOWERS &c. 417 



the standpoint of the highest potential of excellence of the particular 

 variety, irrespective of its relative bulk, as compared with other varieties. 

 But how few, save the more experienced judges, are able to withstand the 

 influence of the 1 heavy ' stand of blooms, or the ' weighty ' individual 

 flower ! 



" And in the case of fruit how often mere size — and, I might add, also, 

 mere colour — come to the f oref ront, • and elbow to the rear the more 

 modest-looking fruit, which, for dessert or culinary purposes, may far 

 exceed in value its more bulky or showy-looking rival. And the mischief 

 caused is far-reaching, for many persons not possessing real knowledge or 

 experience of particular varieties are led — or rather misled — to select 

 varieties for their garden which, save for appearance, are but of the second 

 or third class for all practical purposes. 



" It seems to me that, in effect, good and sufficient answer to your 

 questions is already given in the 1 Rules for Judging ' issued by the Royal 

 Horticultural Society. Therein 'flavour or quality' in fruits and vegetables, 

 and ' beauty and refinement ' in flowers, have allotted to them fairly just 

 and proper values, as against mere ' size ' ; and I feel sure that if those 

 who exhibit, and above all, if those who judge and make their awards 

 on these exhibits, would but more generally acquaint themselves with, 

 and carry out, these ' Rules for Judging,' the rage for mere size would 

 receive a greatly needed check, and would speedily give place to a more 

 intelligent and general recognition of what are, in fact, the true aspects 

 of highest excellence — viz. in fruits and vegetables, flavour and quality ; 

 and, in flowers, beauty and refinement.'" 



Mr. Owen Thomas, V.M.H : — " In most fruits there is no quality that 

 the gardener makes more strenuous efforts to attain than size and weight. 

 It is not size and weight which are at fault, but the securing of this 

 quality at the expense of other essential points. Take a ' Queen ' Pine for 

 instance ; whoever heard of one being too large ? A 4 lb. fruit would have 

 no chance against a 6 lb. fruit at an exhibition — all other points being 

 equal. Thus considered, weight carries substantial advantages. But 

 supposing all other points are not equal. Let us assume that the large 

 fruit possesses an immense or crooked crown, out of all proportion to its 

 size, some of the pips defective and badly developed, some portion of 

 the fruit unripe, etc. Then in my opinion these defects reduce the value 

 of the 61b. fruit below the 41b. one, presuming that the smaller fruit is 

 free from the defects mentioned. 



" Take a bunch of Grapes of any variety, say the Black Hamburg for 

 instance. There is no point in judging this Grape that will carry greater 

 weight with judges than berries of magnificent size. But in addition to 

 good size, the bunch must be well set up, judiciously thinned, and above 

 all well coloured, and have a perfect bloom. Size of berry counts for little 

 if the bunch is defective in the points mentioned above. It is the same 

 with many other fruits, but not with all. It is so with the Peach, the 

 Pear, the Nectarine, and the Apple. It will thus, I think, be admitted 

 that size, when allied to other qualities necessary to produce a perfect 

 fruit, is much to be coveted. Whilst admitting all we have said in favour 

 of='size in fruit, the qualities^that go to make a good fruit are much more 

 frequently absent from the large fruits than from the medium-sized ones, 



