146 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Minute of Council, adopted April 13, 1897. 

 APPLES, PEARS, AND PLUMS. 

 (a) for Dessert, (b) for Cooking. 



With a view to removing difficulties and resolving doubts 

 as to the distinction to be drawn between dessert and kitchen 

 apples, pears, and plums, the Council of the Royal Horticultural 

 Society have caused the following lists to be prepared for the 

 guidance of their Judges at the Society's Exhibitions and Shows. 



The Council fully recognise that the line of separation 

 between dessert and kitchen fruits must be entirely arbitrary, 

 and to a great extent a matter of taste— which differs widely. 

 They do not, therefore, wish it to be supposed that the varieties 

 named in the one list are unfit for use in the other. Everyone is 

 at liberty to use a variety for any purpose he likes, but in their 

 opinion a fixed line of division between the two classes, for 

 exhibition purposes, is absolutely necessary to secure uni- 

 formity, and avoid confusion and disappointment at their 

 Shows. 



The Council are also fully aware that some varieties of 

 beautiful appearance, which do not in their opinion come up to 

 dessert standard as regards flavour, are often placed on the 

 dessert table. Everyone is at liberty to ornament his table 

 with brightly coloured fruits as well as with beautiful flowers ; 

 but beauty in fruits, although a great additional advantage when 

 it accompanies flavour and quality, does not, when standing 

 alone, entitle a variety to rank in the technical exhibition sense 

 as a dessert fruit. 



It would be impossible to draw up lists to which everyone 

 would agree as to the position assigned to each individual variety, 

 and it is only by mutual concessions that a general working 

 agreement can be reached ; but that it is a good thing to endeavour 

 to bring about such agreement the Council have no doubt what- 

 ever. 



The following list will be found to include the great majority 

 of varieties at present shown for exhibition. In the case of those 

 not named herein the Judges must decide for themselves in 

 which class they will put them, always bearing in mind the 

 principles expressed in the preceding paragraphs. Judges are 



