January 14, 1892. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
16 
^’i 
CERTIFICATED PLANTS OF 
1891. 
-I- 
O NE of the most important duties performed by the Royal 
Horticultural Society through the medium of its various 
Committees is that of judging the numerous novelties raised in 
this country or introduced from others, and indicating by certi¬ 
ficates or other awards the opinions of specialists as to their 
respective merits. This acts beneficially in two ways, first as a 
check upon those concerned in the introduction of novelties, 
inducing greater care in selection ; secondly, it is a safeguard to 
purchasers, as these awards point out that some distinct characters 
are really possessed by the objects so honoured. There is no 
question that in the minds of all unprejudiced persons certificates 
possess a material value, and a careful examination of the 
awards of a series of consecutive years will afford abundant proof 
that the opinion is well founded. Committees, like other bodies 
of men, are liable to make mistakes occasionally, but there are so 
few in comparison with the work performed that no serious 
complaint can be founded upon them. 
From time to time suggestions have been made with the object 
of improving the methods of working, and one innovation that 
has proved satisfactory in some ways is the recently adopted 
practice of recording the number of votes for and against a plant. 
It was claimed that when a novelty secured a certificate by a 
unanimous vote of the whole Committee, it presumably pos¬ 
sessed considerably more value than one for which the voting 
was nearly equally divided, with perhaps the majority of only 
two or three, possibly of only one, in its favour. It is evidently 
desirable that this difference should be indicated, and the only 
method that seemed workable was recording the votes as stated. 
It is true some were in favour of the names of the respective 
voters being recorded as well, but this was objectionable in several 
ways, not the least being that much more time would be con¬ 
sumed if it were carried out on every occasion. I am not aware, 
howerver, if any member of a Committee particularly desired 
his name should be given as one who voted for or against an 
exhibit, that there is any rule to prevent it. 
The latest suggested alteration in the system had an opposite 
tendency to that just mentioned—namely, it has been thought the 
objects of the Society would be better attained if the voting was 
by ballot, so that every man could express his opinion without 
even the suspicion of direct or indirect influence. The Council 
attached sufficient importance to this matter to submit the sugges¬ 
tion to the several Committees ; but it was received with such 
strongly marked disfavour that it was at once dropped. It was 
rightly regarded as implying a suspicion that members were not 
sufficiently independent to openly record their judgment by a show 
of hands in the usual way. These matters are referred to here 
because in many provincial districts much interest is excited in the 
methods by which the Committees work, and those who have not 
the opportunity of attending the meetings are apt to form erroneous 
ideas on the subject. 
Some notion of the importance of the work performed may be 
gleaned from a few statistics regarding the number of plants that 
have been distinguished by awards. A year or two ago I had 
occasion to investigate the matter, and I found that from the time 
when the Floral Committee was instituted in 1859, 6000 certifi¬ 
cates had been awarded, being an average of about 200 a year. 
No. C03.—VoL. XXIV,, Third Series, 
Since then the total has been increased by nearly 700, so that we 
have a total that during the present year will be raised to nearly 
7000. It would be safe to estimate that not more than one in 
ten of the novelties exhibited has been certificated, and this 
would represent the enormous total of between 60,000 and 70,000 
plants passed under review in a little over thirty years. If it 
were necessary to adduce any evidence showing the need for the 
existence of such bodies this fact would alone suffice. 
The National Chrysanthemum Society also has a Floral 
Committee, which generally meets upon the day following the 
R.H.S., and the result is, with regard to the plants, which are 
the special objects of the former Society’s attention, that both 
Committees often award certificates fer the same varieties, the 
greater number of new Chrysanthemums being, however, sub¬ 
mitted to the N.C.S, These will be referred to in another 
article, as also will the awards at the Royal Botanic Society’s 
Shows, which frequently include many novelties not shown or 
honoured at the Westminster meetings. As is generally known 
the certificates are there awarded by the Judges, and not by a 
specially appointed Committee. 
In regard to the subject of certificates it is only necessary to 
refer to one other matter before proceeding to a review of the 
plants of the past year, and that is to draw attention to the two 
stages of awards, the “ first-class certificates ” and the “awards of 
merit,” though for purposes of enumeration and comparison 
they are not separated in the following statistics, because the 
distinctions are in a measure of equal value according t j the kind 
of plant. Thus, a superior seedling of a class of plants in 
ordinary cultivation may receive an award of merit, but a recently 
introduced species, a very distinct variety, or an artificially raised 
hybrid of merit, would probably secure a first-class certificate. 
This seems to be followed consistently by the Floral Com¬ 
mittee, scarcely so by the Orchid Committee, as both certificates 
and awards are granted to undoubted hybrids, according to their 
respective merits, while the Fruit Committee make the two 
honours solely dependent upon quality. 
During the year 1891 the R.H.S. Floral and Orchid Com¬ 
mittees distinguished 285 plants by the two degrees of honours 
mentioned, of which 106 were florists’ flowers as ordinarily under¬ 
stood, and seventy-eight were Orchids, the others being distributed 
amongst fine-foliage plants, including Ferns, hardy plants, and 
miscellaneous stove or greenhouse plants The total number is a 
high one, much above the average, and Dahlias have been especial 
favourites apparently, for no less that thirty-three have been found 
worthy of awards. 
As the largest number in any one family, however, the Orchids 
demand first attention, and the number given—seventy-eight—is 
convincing proof that these plants still maintain their position in 
the plant-loving world. About one-fourth of these are hybrids, 
raised in this country, and of which the parentage is known ; the 
others are either distinct and superior varieties of previously 
known species or new introductions. No less than 198 of the 
total awards for all classes of plants were taken by members of 
the nursery or seed trade, the largest number of honours for any 
one firm being secured by Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons, Chelsea— 
namely, twenty-seven. Taking Orchids alone, however, Messrs. 
Sander & Co., St. Albans, head the list with twenty awards. 
It is not my intention here to review the whole of the 
Orchids shown, but some of the more remarkable may be noted, 
and if it were asked which two of the year are the most interesting, 
those for which the Royal Horticultural Society awarded medals 
in June last would naturally occur to the minds of all familiar 
with the proceedings of the year. The Committees have the 
power to recommend medals for individual plants and novelties 
of decided merit, but they too rarely take advantage of this, and 
the medals as a rule are adjudged to groups which only amateurs 
with large collections or nurserymen can supply. Amateurs or 
No. 2259.— -VoL. LXXXVI., Old Series. 
