HORTICULTURAL EXHIBITIONS AND SCHEDULES. 517 



the "point value " system, the prize money allotted being divided 

 pro rata according to the number of points, or marks of merit, 

 adjudged to the three or four exhibitors (according to the number 

 of prizes determined to be given) in a class. 



I have received many letters directing attention to various 

 matters connected with exhibiting, and one writer deals somewhat 

 forcibly with what he calls the present " arbitrary system " of 

 fixing the different amounts. He says : — " We usually see these 

 prizes varying in the first, second, third, and so on, in the pro- 

 portion of from 20 to 30 per cent. For example, £28 is allocated 

 in a class in four sums of £10, £8, £6, and £4. This pre- 

 supposes that the third prize collection should be 33 per cent, 

 better than the fourth, the second prize collection 100 per cent., 

 and the first prize collection 150 per cent, above it ; whereas in 

 close competitions there is frequently not more than half a dozen 

 points of value difference between the first and fourth collections. 

 On this basis if the £28 were divided according to the 1 point 

 value ' of each of the four collections the amounts due to the 

 exhibitors would be very much as follows : — First prize, £7. 10s. ; 

 second, £7. 5s. ; third, £G. 15s. ; and fourth, £G. 10s. This 

 shows a difference of only £1 between the first and the fourth 

 instead of £6 under the ordinary system. In some competitions 

 the relative merits of the exhibits are still closer, and when we 

 see a superb collection beaten by half a point only, as sometimes 

 happens, and the cash prize is some pounds less than that given 

 to the first, it must be apparent to every thinking person that 

 the system which establishes such an anomalous partition is 

 manifestly unjust and indefensible. The ' point value ' system 

 of apportioning the prizes is no experiment. It has been adopted 

 for several years in a competition of nine dishes of vegetables at 

 Carshalton, always exciting the highest interest, and in every 

 instance giving the fullest satisfaction." 



Such is the letter. The last sentence in it I know to be true, 

 as I have been a judge in the class since it was established. 



The essence of the " point value " system of judging is based 

 on the principle that every point or mark of merit accorded is of 

 equal value (as it is), and can be represented in money. The 

 precise amount is easily determined. 



