SOME DIFFICULTIES IN FLOWER- SHOAV SCHEDULES. 



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Black Grapes allowed. ' ' The first prize was won by a collection con- 

 taining (1) Black Grapes; (2) White Grapes; (3) Figs;. (4) Peaches; 

 (5) Nectarine ' Pineapple ' ; (6) Nectarine * Humboldt ' — and, very 

 naturally, the two dishes of Nectarines raised vigorous protests from 

 other exhibitors. And yet the protests will not stand for a moment, 

 as all the Schedule asks for is "six varieties of fruit," and 'Pine- 

 apple ' and * Humboldt ' are distinct and undoubted ' ' varieties 

 of Nectarines : no one could possibly call them the same. At 

 the same time, from the words " White ,and Black Grapes allowed," 

 it is evident that what the writer of the Schedule meant was 

 " six kinds "; otherwise, why say that a white variety and a black 

 variety of Grapes are allowed if only varieties were meant? But 

 it is no use meaning one thing if you say or write another. And 

 in the case of a Schedule the judges are bound to adhere to the 

 printed words. And if the words " six varieties " are printed, any 

 exhibitor may show six dishes of varieties of any one fruit — say, six 

 varieties of Peaches or of Pears or of Grapes, always provided they are 

 all distinct — or he might show four varieties of Peaches, or any other 

 conceivable combination of six distinct varieties. Whereas, if the 

 word " kind " had been printed, this exhibitor would have been rightly 

 disqualified for including two dishes of varieties of Nectarines in his 

 collection. ' Pineapple ' and ' Humboldt ' are not different Icinds of 

 fruit, but different varieties of the same kind — namely. Nectarine. 

 The E.H.S. Code of Rules for Judging, Sections 1 and 2, defines very 

 clearly what, for Show purposes, are to be considered kinds and 

 varieties. 



Many difficulties arise over the words " hardy " flowers, and 

 ''annuals." For example, Section 195a of the Eules reads thus: 

 " In the case of annuals (unless specially forbidden) colour variation 

 is always allowed in the bunches." And here is a case in point. A 

 Schedule asked for " A Collection of Annuals — six distinct 

 VARIETIES." A competitor staged Shirley Poppies as one variety — ^of 

 course, with mixed colours. A protest was lodged on account of the 

 colour variation, but the Committee rightly disallowed it. Shirley 

 Poppies, being an annual, the mixture of colour was therefore 

 permissible. 



Here is another instance. I am asked. In a class for " Cactus 

 Dahlias — not less than six varieties," would not the words " six 

 colours " be more accurate, as the variety is one? Here there can be 

 no confusion by the use of the word variety, because the colour varia- 

 tions in Dahlias sufficiently indicate the " varieties " of that plant. 



Again, in a class for " Six varieties of Hardy Spring Flowers," 

 two varieties of ' St. Brigid Anemone ' were put up. To do so was 

 perfectly admissible. Had the wording been " six kinds," the exhibit 

 of course would have been disqualified. 



The use of the word ^* distinct " also brings its difficulties. There 

 was a class for " Eight Stove or Greenhouse Plants distinct." 

 One exhibitor has two Caladiums amongst his eight, and another two 



