276 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ September as, isao. 
is in the end economical, but some provision is necessary in 
case of a diversity of opinion between the two censors. This 
is very easily provided, and it ought to be done in a systematic 
manner. Each pair of judges should have the name of a 
referee written on their schedule —one of the judges in another 
class, whose appointment as referee in certain classes is also 
written on his own schedule. In case of two judges failing to 
agree they know directly where to send for the casting vote ; 
the referee leaves his coadjutor for a few moments, brings “ a 
fresh pair of eyes " to bear on the points in dispute, and has 
seldom any difficulty in giving his decision, while his colleague 
experiences no inconvenience by being temporarily left to 
pursue his duties alone for five minutes. This plan works 
well, and is equal to three judges in a section, for in practice 
the referee is seldom in request, in nine cases out of ten the 
two judges agreeing in the verdict. 
It is a great mistake to unduly limit the number of judges, 
or, in other words, to overwork them. When the awards have 
to be made in a hurried and bustling manner mistakes are 
certain to occur, however competent the adjudicators may be. 
One of the greatest of all mistakes bearing immediately on 
this subject is the delay (which betokens loose and bad man¬ 
agement) which occurs in staging the exhibits. According to 
the rules the tents have to be cleared for the judges say at 
10.30 a.m. They enter the tent then, find all in confusion, 
have to “ hang about" for an hour or two, and commence 
their duties an hour before the public are admitted, and com¬ 
plete them perhaps two hours after. Of all the inconveniences, 
even annoyances, pertaining to judging none is so great as 
adjudicating in a crowd of visitors. The work cannot be 
properly done then. The judges can neither satisfy themselves, 
the committee, nor exhibitors. No one should be in the tent 
with the judges and their officials, except the representatives of 
the press. These latter are always admitted, except under the 
officious management at some obscure local shows that are 
not really worth reporting. 
A word may be said on the manner of judging. As a rule 
the point system is by far the best, but it is not always neces¬ 
sary to bring it into requisition. The value of some competing 
collections is apparent at a glance, while others require the 
closest and most skilled examination. Good judges, it may be 
observed, never like to give, say, equal first prizes to two com¬ 
petitors. The most competent of adjudicators will spend an 
hour over two collections in an important class rather than 
give an “ equal first; ” while others less competent find it an 
easy way of solving a difficulty. Still, occasionally the best 
of judges have no other course open to them consistently with 
doing justice to both rivals for their verdict. It is in such 
cases as these when point judging is of value. Take, say, two 
collections of fruit so close in point of merit that by comparing 
dish with dish it is a mere matter of chance which “ has it; ” 
but have recourse to careful point judging, and the question is 
reduced to a sum in addition, for the judges have agreed after 
a close examination of every dish the number cf points to which 
it is entitled ; but before they commence they must determine 
the standard of excellence, by an ideal number of points, of 
every kind of fruit exhibited. This subject was alluded to by 
Mr. Witherspoon in the autumn of 1879, and at an autumn 
exhibition he gave as points allowed—for a Pine ten ; Grapes 
eight; Peaches, Nectarines, Melons, and Figs six each ; Apri¬ 
cots and Plums four each ; Pears, Strawberries, and Cherries 
three each ; and Apples two. This will do very well, for any 
given number is not essential, but Pears are worthy of more 
than three points, and Apples more than two ; and the matter 
would be simplified by allowing Pears four, and Apples three 
points. This system should also be applied to vegetable col¬ 
lections, and if carefully carried out few errors could occur, 
while the judges could afford to watch with equanimity the 
grumblings of outsiders. 
Point judging is still more important in the large cut flower 
classes, say of Roses and Chrysanthemums. It is simply 
impossible to arrive at a correct verdict in determining the 
merits, say of very close stands of forty-eight Roses and thirty- 
six Chrysanthemums, without estimating each bloom by points. 
I have seen judges after much haphazard comparison of row 
with row and bloom with bloom decide on their verdict, but 
before formally giving it bring the point test into operation, 
and this has quite upset their preconceived verdict. If they 
had adopted it at first instead of last they would have saved 
much time, and understanding the merits of every bloom their 
decision could not on any good ground be called in question. 
I am tempted to dwell on the idiosyncracies of judges, for 
these are well known and are the cause of some amusement 
amongst onlookers. There is the noisy judge, the grave judge, 
the fussy judge, and the sober judge. The noisy judge gives 
utterance to all his thoughts, and the changes of his mind are 
floating audibly all over the tent. He is generally an cld hand 
at the work, and looks upon it as a matter-of-fact duty to be 
got through in the best manner, not thinking of himself at all. 
The grave judge, on the contrary, appears to be impressed with 
the solemnity of his position, and acts in the most conscientious 
manner as if a nation were hanging on his verdict. The fussy 
judge always attracts notice ; he cannot commence without an 
assistant at his elbow, then his marching to and fro, ordering 
people out of the way, and “ attitudinising," is delicious to 
witness. The sober judge is in direct contrast; he is neither 
grave nor gay, but keeps quietly plodding on in a steady sys¬ 
tematic manner, keeping his thoughts to himself, giving his 
verdict firmly, and apparently not troubling himself about 
grumblers after he has done his duty, which all good judges 
seek to do.^ 
There is just one other point—good judges have laboured 
long to make themselves efficient ; their services are in great 
request, they travel oft and far, and according to their ability 
endeavour to do justice to all, even at the risk of not receiving 
justice themselves, for in not a few instances their fees are 
too small, and sometimes are not paid with the promptitude 
that is desirable. This, however, is not the rule, but so long 
as exceptions exist the system is faulty. It is always wise to 
obtain good judges and adequately remunerate them for their 
time and skill. Four first-rate men will do more work, and do 
it better, than twice the number of less experience and who 
have not given proof of possessing special qualifications for 
the work. 
The exhibiting season is approaching its close, and the season 
for the consideration of future campaigns and their manage¬ 
ment will succeed. As one element that always demands at¬ 
tention is the judges and judging, these remarks on the 
subject may, therefore, not be inopportune ; they are the 
outcome of much experience, and are written by—A Veteran. 
AUTUMN AND WINTER-FLOWERING PLANTS. 
This season, especially the sunny weather of the past six weeks, 
has enabled cultivators of autumn and winter-flowering plants to 
have the wood thoroughly matured. Only moderate success can 
be expected in wet, cold, sunless seasons unless artificial heat is 
employed to supply the deficiency, and that is only a poor sub¬ 
stitute for solar heat in the declining days of autumn. Those 
who practise giving heat to many plants that have to produce 
early flowers and assist them in the early season to make their 
growth, and then place them outside to thoroughly ripen and set 
their buds, reap advantages which cannot be produced by fire 
heat in autumn. This applies to early-flowering Rhododendrons, 
Deutzias, Prunuses, Azaleas of the Indica and Ghent types, as 
well as to Camellias and many others. To thoroughly prove the 
advantage of assisting plants to make an early growth, those who 
do not practise it can take a number of Deutzias and divide them 
into two batches, the one to be grown under the influence of (heat, 
and the other plunged outside in pots, or planted out. The former 
will be a fine hazel colour and the foliage entirely gone, while the 
others will be green and only lose their leaves when compelled 
to do so after sharp frosts. It would quickly be seen which would 
produce their flower buds early when required to do so. 
Cold nights are approaching, and it will not be safe much 
longer to leave such plants as Pomsettias, Euphorbias, and Plum¬ 
bagos in cold frames, as if allowed to Temain until checked much 
damage will be done, and the foliage of the Poinsettias will turn 
prematurely yellow and fall off. Plants of the above-named 
that were propagated late should be housed at once where a little 
assistance by fire heat can be given at night and during dull 
sunless days. Care must be taken not to excite the plants into 
fresh growth, but a rather dry atmosphere must be maintained, 
ventilating abundantly when favourable in order to bring growth 
to a standstill. Celosias will now be showing their plumes, and 
