504 JOURNAL OF THE EOYAL HORTICULTUEAL SOCIETY. 



Now, it is evident that if, as I fancy, China Asters are intended, 

 then dissimilar can only mean " different colours and, if so, does 

 it only mean " different colours " when appHed to twelve herbaceous 

 plants ? If, on the contrary, it means something much more stringent 

 as applied to herbaceous plants, why does it not mean the same with 

 China Asters?— and yet, how could it? Would it not have been just as 

 easy to write " distinct colours," if that is what is meant, or " distinct 

 varieties," if that is meant, or distinct kinds," if that is intended? 

 As for similar " and ** dissimilar, " an exhibitor may well wonder 

 what the words mean. Are three men differently dressed similar or 

 dissimilar men? Are three children — one with a black, one with a 

 white, and one with a blue frock — similar or dissimilar children? They 

 are certainly similar men and similar children, but they are ^ftssimilarly 

 dressed. And it is exactly the same way with nine China Asters : they 

 are similar flowers of dissimilar colour. Will you, then , disqualify them 

 because they are from one point of view " similar," or accept them 

 because they are from another point of view ' ' dissimilar ' ' ? Either 

 action would be equally defensible, I think. 



Much more could be said, but this is enough to indicate some of the 

 commonest difficulties in Schedules ; and, taken with the Bules for 

 Judging, it may be helpful. If anyone should recognize difficulties 

 which they have personally referred to me, I hope they will not think 

 this Paper a violation of confidence, as no^ one knows whence the 

 examples cited come, or how often others have fallen into precisely the 

 same difficulties as themselves. The making of a really exact Schedule 

 is, indeed, a matter of no little difficulty. 



May I point out, in concluding, that the E.H.S. Code of Eules, 

 which have been revised this year, may be obtained in the Office? 



