HORTICULTURAL EXHIBITIONS AND SCHEDULES. 515 



gardener who grows it, is entitled — one as providing the means, 

 the other the skill— to be credited with the exhibits on the show 

 cards ; and as most of the inscriptions can be written in advance 

 they ought to be so bold and clear as to be read by the majority 

 of visitors without removing the cards, which causes obstruction 

 and possible misplacement. The duty of filling in the cards 

 obviously devolves on the officials, but exhibitors must first 

 supply the information in ample time, as many by inadvertence 

 do not. (See p. 522.) 



(7) Last, but not least, exhibitors should always commence 

 the arrangements of their products soon enough to be able to 

 complete them before the time stated in the schedule for judging 

 to commence. This is done by all the most successful exhibitors 

 at all the best managed shows. 



Judges and Judging. — At the moment of commencing this 

 section an unexpected communication arrived from Mr. Owen 

 Thomas, V.M.H. ; and as much that he says is so pertinent, it is 

 at once cited, with additions which it is not necessary to indicate, 

 as we both think alike on the subject : — 



"Horticultural exhibitions have so increased both in numbers 

 and importance, and the money value of the prizes distributed 

 throughout the country amounts in the aggregate to such an 

 enormous sum, that the office of judge, at whose discretion the 

 whole of this large amount has to be apportioned, has also grown 

 in importance in the same ratio. 



" Not only is the office an important one as regarded in that 

 light, but it is equally important, if not more so, regarded from 

 the higher ground of honour and pride. Certainly the office of a 

 judge and the result of his adjudications are exposed to a much 

 fiercer light than formerly by reason of the ever-increasing 

 keenness in competition and the greater competency of exhibitors 

 to detect flaws and errors of judgment when such by chance 

 occur. 



" It is difficult to define the qualifications of a good all-round 

 horticultural judge, but there are certain cardinal attributes 

 which all will admit a judge must possess before he can secure 

 and retain the confidence and respect of committees and exhi- 

 bitors. A good judge must have an intuitive knowledge of the 

 value and rarity of the exhibits placed before him acquired by 

 long experience, practice, and a wide field of observation. He 



