506 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY, 



matter is this : An ardent horticulturist was deceived by the 

 terms as they stood, and his strictly correct and logical reading 

 of the schedule led him to a wrong conclusion. 



This example of ambiguity suffices as well as many to show 

 how much may hinge on such an apparent trifle as the omission 

 of a small word from the stipulations. As a matter of fact 

 nothing is a trifle that serves a distinctly useful purpose. If it 

 were really necessary to incorporate the local classes with those 

 in the " open to all " division, the addition of a line underneath 

 — u except where otherwise indicated " — would have met the 

 requirements of the case, and then an appendage of " Blankshire 

 only " to certain classes would have made the desire of the com- 

 mittee apparent to all. 



Occasionally classes are set forth in terms which cannot be 

 complied with when the exhibits come to be examined. For 

 instance, prizes were recently offered for a specimen Chrysan- 

 themum, any variety, single stem, that carried the largest number 

 and best quality blooms. As a result several plants were placed 

 in competition. Of the three chosen for the prizes one had 

 some 200 so-called blooms, another something over 100, and a 

 third about two dozen. There was not one good bloom on the 

 two larger plants ; but a dozen fine specimens on the smallest 

 plant. In the difficulty the judges concluded that the word 

 "and" was accidentally inserted, and that 11 of " was intended ; 

 and as there was the largest number of best quality blooms 

 on the smallest plant, it was accorded the premier position. In 

 the framing of classes it is well, therefore, to keep in mind, not 

 only what is desirable, but what is practicable. 1 



The Amateur Puzzle. 



Among doubts and difficulties that frequently occur in connec- 

 tion with shows are those which arise from what may be known 

 as the perennial " amateur " question. In the schedules and at 

 the exhibitions of the Royal Horticultural Society the established 

 rule is to regard all competitors as " amateurs " who are not 

 nurserymen. This broad distinction meets the requirements of 

 the chief society fairly well, but it is very far from meeting those 

 of the overwhelming majority of local societies. 



This is recognised in the excellent code of u Rules forjudging."* 



* " Rules for Judging and Suggestions to Schedule Makers, Judges, and 

 Exhibitors.'' lv.H.S. Otlice, 117 Victoria Street, is, Id. post free. 



