136 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



when " species " was intended. If either of the words " varieties " 

 or " sorts" are used, an exhibitor would be within his rights if 

 he staged only two or three " species " or " kinds " of plants in 

 a collection of, say, 24 varieties. He might exhibit half-a-dozen 

 varieties of Delphiniums and as many Phloxes ; but if the word 

 " species " or " kind " is used he may not exhibit more than one 

 variety of each. 



The question has arisen, and been decided different ways, as 

 to whether a Lily is a herbaceous plant or not. Some good 

 judges say that it is not, and others say it is. When judges 

 differ, who shall decide ? The framers of schedules, certainly. 

 It is easy to add " including Lilies " to the wording of the class 

 for herbaceous plants. It is not fit that the time of judges, 

 which is none too long for their proper work, should be taken up 

 in deciding any questions of this kind ; they should not be asked 

 to do more in the time at their disposal than decide the relative 

 merits of A, B, and C. In reference to the use of the words 

 " kind " and " variety," " kind " is more nearly akin to " genus," 

 and "variety" to "species." For example, "different kinds" 

 means, of fruits — Apples, Pears, Grapes, Plums, Melons, Figs, &c. ; 

 of flowers — Roses, Phloxes, Tulips, Irises, Hollyhocks, Carna- 

 tions, &c. ; and "distinct varieties," means, of Apples — Stirling 

 Castle, Golden Noble, Warner's King, Cox's Orange Pippin, &c. ; 

 or of Grapes — Black Hambro', Lady Downe's, Buckland Sweet- 

 water, Muscat of Alexandria, &c. ; or of Roses — Mrs. John Laing, 

 Duke of Edinburgh, Souvenir de la Malmaison, Marechal Niel, 

 Marie Van Houtte, &c. It would, I think, be far better if the 

 word " sort " were never used in a schedule at all, as although, 

 I believe, it means practically the same thing as " variety," yet 

 many people regard it as equivalent to " kind." It is a doubtful 

 word, and should therefore be carefully excluded, particularly 

 as the two words " kind " and " variety " answer every possible 

 requirement. 



Another question that may he asked, and not unfrequently 

 is asked by judges, is, What is a fruit ? and what a vegetable ? 

 The only possible way, I think, to decide this question, with due 

 respect to grammar, truth, and equity, is to lay down and assert 

 a principle, and say that fruits used in a green state, and as 

 vegetables only, may only be shown as vegetables ; but if a ripe 

 fruit of any kind is used both as a vegetable and as a fruit, it may 



