PRINCIPLES OF JUDGING AT SHOWS. 



135 



likewise is another; but having been successful as a practical 

 man, I will do my best to put upon paper something of the 

 " Principles of Judging," in order to afford at least a theme for 

 discussion. 



1. The first point to consider is the framing of the schedule. 

 This should be done with great care, as it must be the guide 

 both of exhibitors and judges. Under the heading of " Rules 

 and Regulations " every point ought to be so definite and exact 

 that no mistake may be excusable and no difference of interpre- 

 tation possible. Moreover, the schedule must always be inter- 

 preted by what it grammatically says, and not according to the 

 preconceived ideas, either of exhibitors or judges, of what it ought 

 to say or mean. 



Notwithstanding these things, difficulties constantly occur 

 which judges have to deal with. A case occurred, for instance, 

 only a month ago, in which I was involved as a judge. I quote 

 it because in this case a really good exhibitor was disqualified 

 at two exhibitions for having infringed an important regulation; 

 and I find he is defended by a good judge of Chrysanthemums 

 in the current number of one of the gardening papers. The 

 regulation reads : " Exhibitors are requested to have their 

 stands made in accordance with the metropolitan plan. The stand 

 for twelve blooms to be 24 inches long and 18 inches wide (with 

 holes 6 inches apart from centre to centre)," with other details 

 which the exhibitor was " requested " to observe. The exhibitor 

 in question did not obey this regulation, and as there is a note 

 at the end of the Rules and Regulations to the effect that 

 " these regulations will be strictly adhered to, and any infringe- 

 ment will disqualify exhibitors," this seemed to the judges to 

 settle the point. But it would certainly have put the question 

 beyond all possibility of cavil if the word " must " had been used 

 instead of " requested." When the word "requested" is alone 

 used, non-compliance would not, of course, disqualify ; but the 

 note at the end, in which it is stated "Any infringement will 

 disqualify," appeared to the judges to alter the case completely. 



Again, the four words, "species," "kind," "sort," "variety," 

 are often used quite indiscriminately, sometimes even being inter- 

 changed one with another in the same schedule without any regard 

 whatever to any difference of meaning. For instance, in the case 

 of hardy herbaceous plants, the word " variety " has been used 



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