December 8, 1887 . ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER 
487 
by points and half points, and it was only when a doubt 
•arose that the quarter and three-quarter point, integers 
of three or nine, were employed to secure unanimity, and 
it is certain it could not be arrived at so quickly in any 
other way. On the evening preceding the Sheffield Show 
a discussion arose on Chrysanthemum judging, and Mr. 
B. Simonite declared a maximum of three or four jroints 
quite inadequate for representing the small yet important 
gradations in merit. He thought the points wanted 
'dividing, and his remarks met with general acceptance. 
It so happened that a page of figures showing the point¬ 
ing in two columns for each collection in a large class 
oould be produced. He grasped the plan in a moment, 
•and said, “ 1 hat is the best system I have seen,” and 
■with the instinct of a real florist continued, “ You cannot 
get far wrong with that if you take care of the key bloom.” 
That is the key to the position. Fix on the best bloom, 
in a stand, very carefully determine its value, and work 
from it as a standaid throughout. When there are 
several stands, which necessarily occupy time in “ going 
through, it is well to step hack to the key now and 
then, so as to have it clearly in mind for the pre¬ 
vention of an accident occurring in under or over 
pointing. I have known this to be necessary, and at 
least one of my colleagues knows it too. The ideal 
standard must be clear throughout for the work to be 
done well, whether the points be divided or not. I shall 
prefer the latter method until finding a better, then will 
adopt it with readiness by whomsoever it may be intro¬ 
duced. I have, however, had about enough of judging, 
and shall most willingly stand aside when the committees 
of shows may desire to try a change of officials. “ Has 
your judgment ever been questioned?” asked an in¬ 
quisitive interviewer a short time ago. I was able to 
reply, “Yes, several times, but it has never been over¬ 
turned by scrutineers.” To this he aptly rejoined, “ Oh, 
then you can retire with credit.” Rather a broad hint, 
I thought; and it “sticks.”—J. Wright. 
[Mr. J. Udale writes, in reference to this subject, “ I 
have noticed with pleasure Mr. L. Castle’s allusion to 
Mr. Wright’s system of ‘pointing.’ Having triedit on 
several occasions I can testify to the excellency of the 
system, and I think nothing could be more perfect, prac¬ 
tical, and simple.”] 
OIL AND SULPHUR ON HOT-WATER PIPES 
lx the Journal of Horticulture for October 20fch reference is 
made to the oil and sulphur remedy for mildew, from which we 
learn that some uncertainty exists as to what kind of oil should be 
used. As first stated in the “ Gardeners’ Monthly,” and on several 
occasions since, linseed oil has been invariably recommended. This 
is mixed with sulphur to the consistency of a rather thick paint, and 
in this state as much of it is rubbed on the hot-water pipes or ’flues 
as to fill the house with a strong odour. In so doing no harm to 
the most tender foliage need be apprehended, while at the same 
time every vestige of mildew that may be in the house will speedily 
disappear. 
We have had the most satisfactory evidence of this, and need 
only mention one or two cases by way of proof. In one instance 
a neighbour owned a large greenhouse chiefly devoted to Roses 
that were so subject to mildew that he was on the point of giving 
up their cultivation, every known remedy having failed to subdue 
the enemy. In this plight he was advised to try the sulphur and 
oil mixture. He did so, and had the satisfaction of finding the 
cause of his trouble entirely removed. Another case is that of a 
house in which Roses are chiefly grown. As soon as the fires were 
lighted in it last autumn the mixture was applied, and from that 
time until a few weeks ago not a sign of either mildew or red spider 
has been seen. The same practice has been followed this season 
with the utmost confidence that so long as the fires are kept on 
these troublesome pests will not be once seen. 
I was pleased to notice in the “ Gardeners’ Monthly ’’ for 
October that Mr. Meehan has “ by research in chemical botany 
discovered that oil vapour has long been known to be inimical to 
the growth of the lower forms of fungi, and that what we recom- 
rnend is in full accord with the teachings of this branch of science,” 
from which wc infer that the vapour of oil is alone sufficient to 
destroy mildew, and if so the remedy is somewhat simplified, but 
sulphur added cannot fail to greatly increase its power to destroy 
either animal or vegetable parasites.— A. Yeitcii, New Haven, 
Conn, U.S. 
QUALITY, QUANTITY, DEPRESSION. 
Fkoji an economic point of view the apathy of consumers in rc- 
spect to quality is about equal to the prejudice of cultivators in 
clinging to varieties which time has rendered obsolete. Consumers 
of late years have favoured quantity and appearance, to which no 
objection can be taken provided it be not at the loss of quality. 
Cultivators as a class have clung to varieties which are now left 
behind through the finer and more taking appearance of foreign 
pioduce. The latter has the still further advantage of being as 
cheap or cheauer than home produce. Much of course has been 
effected by competition and the cheapening of transit to the detri¬ 
ment of the home grower ; but the main cause of agri-horti- 
cultural depression is the outcome of a period of unparalleled 
prosperity, which dulled forethought, resulting in a sense of security 
11 * ^*0 superiority of production, and the consequent decline of 
effort and industrial energy essential to its maintenance. If 
prosperity push produce to famine prices it naturally tempts rivalry, 
and has so acted that foreign produce is forthcoming at prices 
which the home producer is unable to cope with upon the old lines 
i.i 3., the wages and the rents. . The grower must produce as much 
and keep his hold on the markets in a time of depression as in a 
lime of prosperity, otherwise he must abdicate to the foreigner or 
colonist. An equally good and cheaper article must be produced, 
and he must curtail his own expenditure in proportion to the 
lessened value of the products, and in addition easement must be 
accorded in the shape of lessened value of labour and of land to 
enable the grower to grapple with the influx of foreign produce. 
There must, in fact, be an all-round reduction in the cost of pro¬ 
duction, the markets being supplied with the best possible products 
at a price suited to the consumer. 
. In horticultural matters the depression is quite as pronounced as 
m agricultural. The farmer cannot provide a supply of food pro¬ 
ducts equal to the demand ; it is therefore met by imported in order 
to the maintenance of our commercial industry, which has passed 
the crisis safely, and our products maintain their supremacy through 
superiority and economy of use. The “ dawning of a better day ” 
has been effected by cheapening manufacture without any sacrifice 
of quality. That is as it always has been, and will be to the end. 
Out of the raw material—the SQil—the farmer must, if he mean to 
keep his place, rival colonial and foreign growers, grow more of a 
superior article, and it holds equally in respect of horticultural 
produce, which I propose briefly to pass in review. 
I he increase of national wealth during the Victorian era pro¬ 
duced a demand for the luxuries of life, as horticultural products 
were, and are still, considered by many, instead of in their truest 
sense, regarding them as food products ; but as time advanced there 
was a greater diffusion of wealth and of information on the means 
of production and the uses and value of vegetables and fruit as a 
dietary, that they came to be looked upon not so much as luxuries 
as necessities of life. The climax of the prosperity may be set 
down in 1870. The downward tendency may be set down as com¬ 
mencing in 1875, horticulture in the meanwhile having attained to 
a state of unparalleled prosperity. It had provoked foreign competi¬ 
tion, and I may be excused saying that up to that date the produce 
of the United Kingdom surpassed in quality any in the markets 
and brought the best prices. There were of course exceptions 
which need not be particularised. Since that time— i.e., during the 
last decade, there has been a powerful rivalry between home and 
imported produce, and I submit that had the supply of the markets 
continued in the hands of those making it a commercial transaction 
they would have held their own against importations. In conse¬ 
quence of the depressed state of agriculture and the non-residence 
of proprietors many large gardens hitherto used as producing 
luxuries have been converted into manufactories of produce for 
sale. I here was more or less of that going on from some estab¬ 
lishments for at least half a century or longer, but as I set out with 
the intention of adhering to matters of which I have cognizance we 
will put it down at forty years. During that time it has been a 
systematic practice for the gardeners of many establishments, small 
as well as large, at the request of their employers to dispose of 
surplus produce. Either the produce was in excess of the demand 
or selling was resorted to as a means of lessening the cost of main¬ 
tenance. There need be no question as to what the object was. It 
