December SI, 1885. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
589 
ties ; but those who are acquainted with the veteran grower will agree 
with me that nothing unfair was contemplated. Mr. Hobbs evidently 
considers them distinct, and he ac!ed accordingly. At Taunton, where I 
had the assistance of Mr. Lock in judging the numerous well-filled classes 
for cut blooms, we were “taken to task ’’ by an experienced exhibitor for 
not disqualifying a stand in which a Japanese Anemone was included 
with the ordinary Japanese sorts. In another class, that for reflexed 
varieties, Triomphe du Nord and, I think, Salteri were included, and 
these again we did not disqualify any more than we did the stands of 
Anemone-flowered that included Japanese Anemones. No ; I hold that 
unless the rules expressly forbid the inclusion of Japanese sorts in certain 
classes, the judges are not justified in disqualifying where they are so 
included. If hybrids are admitted in one class, why not in another ? and, 
unless forbidden, Japanese Anemones have as much right to be shown 
with the ordinary Japanese sorts as they have with the old Anemone- 
flowered. Whether this will meet with the approval of such experts as 
Mr. Molyneux, Mr. Orchard, and others remains to be seen ; but I may 
add that Mr. Lock has had advice (not from a lawyer though), and we 
are supported in our decision. Let me impress on the framers of schedules 
to be very careful in the wording of certain rules, and this will prevent 
much future dissension. The definition in every case should be clear, 
especially as regards the admittance or non-admittance of Japanese 
hybrids in Japanese and other classes, as well as hybrid Pompons in the 
classes nominally for pompons. Supposing the National Society will 
issue a fresh catalogue. Why not take their arrangement of sections as a 
guide? further adding that the synonyms bracketed must be abided by ; 
then if copies of this official catalogue are placed in the hands of the 
judges no mistakes need be made in the matter. This may not be so 
imperative in the districts where the Chrysanthemum is so well known, 
but the case is very different when we leave these centres, and what we 
have to consider are those parts where societies are newly formed. 
It is somewhat surprising how few novelties there are in the incurved 
section, those few that are added to the list being princip illy sports. The 
most noteworthy exception is Jeanne d’Arc, and this grand sort soon 
attained to the front rank. 1 found the crown buds of this variety were 
too early, and several fine blooms were of no service whatever. Much 
patience has to be exercised in dressing the blooms owing to the petals 
being thin in substance and very numerous. Bendigo or Mabel Ward was 
disappointing at first, but the crown buds may have been injured. 
Latterly we have cut lovely blooms resulting from terminals, and the 
same remark applies to Jardin des Plantes, crown buds in this case being 
followed by large blooms with split centres. Lord Wolseley still proves 
a trustworthy sport, and is quite distinct from its parent Prince Alfred. 
Queen of England was shown grandly at Bath, and if Messrs. Carter’s 
bronze sport from it is fixed and possesses the good qualities of its parent 
it will prove a grand acquisitiotf. Golden Queen of England gave us 
some immense blooms, but they would not incurve properly, and I believe 
many have experienced the same difficulty with it. The best bloom I 
have yet seen of it was shown at Yeovil by the Messrs. Drover. Lord 
Alcester is deservedly most popular, but this and Golden Empress of 
India proved very “ tricky ” this season, many of the largest blooms de¬ 
veloping several centres, “ all the dressing in the world ” failing to whip 
them into shape. I thought we had overfed them, but when I saw others 
in the same predicament, and when Mr. Molyneux rather doubted if I had 
hit upon the right solution of the difficulty, a fresh cause had to be found. 
Was it the hot weather ? was it the frosts ? or what was the cause, eh, 
Mr. Molyneux ? I had hoped to have included quite a new sort in what 
few stands of incurved I exhibited, but the frost upset my calculations. 
This was none other than an incurved sport from Mrs. Forsyth, and which 
I have dubbed “ John Bradner,” this noted Bristol grower having dis¬ 
covered and fixed this sport, but why he has not pushed it I cannot ex¬ 
plain. It exactly resembles Mrs. Forsyth in its growth, the colour of the 
flower being also the same, but the somewhat imperfect blooms that I had 
incurved beautifully, and I still hope to see Mr. Bradner derive some 
benefit from its introduction. 
Japanese sorts, beautiful as the majority undoubtedly are, are really 
becoming too plentiful, the lists of novelties being quite bewildering. 
Luckily, our “ headquarters men,’’ notably Mr. L. Castle, are well able 
to discover and point out which are the best, and this serves to guide 
many of us in our selections. At one time I purchased certificated varie¬ 
ties and others with glowing descriptions. These included Salteri, M. 
Henri Jacotot, Roseum superbum, M. Boyer, Comet, Gloria Solis, and M. 
Moussillac, but none of these proved of any service for exhibition pur¬ 
poses, being either too early or too small, while many of the sorts I passed 
over in favour of those just mentioned have been popular with exhibitors, 
and this, to say the least, was rath r aggravating. Of the sorts flowered 
with us for the first time this season I give the preference to Yal d’Andorre, 
Madame de Sevin, Duchess of Albany (Jackson’s), M. Ardene, and Belle 
Paule. The latter I grew on the recommendation of Mr. Mease, who had 
already given it a trial, and on the whole I consider the most distinct and 
most beautiful novelty of recent introduction. It was somewhat late, 
crown buds only being expanded in time for exhibition, but blooms 
resulting from terminal buds were the most attractive. 
Cullingfordi I have not yet grown, but from what I have seen of it 
should say that it is a valuable and most beautiful addition to the reflexed 
section, where I hope it will be definitely quartered. All the Japanese 
Anemone-flowered are most attractive, but unless they are divided from 
the old Anemone-flowered varieties the latter will be at a decided disad¬ 
vantage, and will soon be lost to the exhibition table. In a few instances 
Pompons have been very prettily shown, being bunched up with a little 
foliage intermingled. As a rule they present a very insignificant appear- , 
ance not at all pleasing to their by no means limited number of admirers. 
Why cannot they be shown in the same manner as single Dahlias, or at 
any rate in good-sized bunches, disbudding being permitted in order to 
have them at their best ? 
The mania for a collection of a large number of varieties is still ram¬ 
pant, and that, too, in spite of the frequent warnings against it expressed 
by those who well know how great a mistake this is, unless it happens 
that the cultivator is not ambitious to figure conspicuously at the shows. 
The inexperienced seem to imagine that the more sorts they can collect 
the better chance they have of winning the prizes, whereas quite the 
contrary holds good. Those who read the various reports of shows will 
observe that much the same varieties are to be found in the prize-winning 
stands throughout, and it is these that should be preferred, growing as 
many plants of each as circumstances will permit. The advantages 
attending this practice will be obvious enough when show time arrives, 
as the grower will then have plenty to select from, whereas when only 
one or two plants are grown the blooms on these may be too early or too 
late, or from various causes may not be up to exhibition form.— 
W. IGGULDEN. 
JUDGING FRUITS. 
The discussion on judging which is being carried on in these columns 
will lead to some definite result, I have no doubt, or a great deal of time 
and thought will have been wasted. I wish to offer my quota on the 
subject, especially in support of what I advanced in your issues of Sep¬ 
tember 10th and 17th. I also have to notice the slight criticism to which 
it has been subjected, partly complimentary and partly adverse, but so 
little of it as to suggest the notion that after all things are not so bad as 
to require any change in the system of judging, or any necessity to 
formulate a fixed scale of values for the various exhibits in mixed collec¬ 
tions. Pos-ibly there are some who write on this who are fussy indivi¬ 
duals, always dissatisfied with things as they are, or they may be dis¬ 
appointed exhibitors endeavouring to cover defeat by the advance of a 
few imaginary irregularities, yet many of your able correspondents have 
engaged the subject. If we allow a fair proportion of them to be earnest 
writers, anxious to have anomalies put right, how many might they re¬ 
present anxious and desirous of seeing correct rules laid down, and 
antiquated notions put aside, but who have no desire to ventilate their ideas 
publicly. That there are many ways of procedure in awarding prizes no 
one will deny, and some of them are very strange. No further back than 
September last, at one of the most promment shows in Scotland, the plan 
pursued throughout the collections of fruit, as explained to me by one of 
the judges in that department, was this—In the first-prize collection of 
eight varieties three points were given to a dish of Madresfield Court 
Grapes, supposed to be the best of its kind ever shown. The same number 
to each of two dishes of Peaches, the same to a dish of Nectarines, a like 
number to a dish of fair Green Gage Plums, two to a dish of Black 
Hamburgh Grapes, two to a dish of Apricots, the remaining dish, Figs, 
going for nothing. Those who followed this three-point rule are the most 
experienced judges, and probably the best horticulturists in North Britain. 
No doubt they would be able to give a satisfactory explanation of the 
plan they adopted, although it is difficult to perceive how. I fail to 
see how this mode could be satisfactorily performed, unless the whole 
opposing dishes were the same varieties, then every collection would 
share alike. In this case all the varieties in the three-prize collections were 
different, except two or three. 
I would now refer to the few remarks of “A Thinker” on the 
system proposed on page 221. He attributes mistakes in judging to 
various causes (page 313), all of which may have a tendency in that 
direction, but which are superficial and could be easily remedied. The mis¬ 
takes I consider of most importance arise on the part of the exhibitor 
through miscalculation, and misapplication on the part of the judge. If 
exhihitors were fully alive to the value the varieties would receive in com¬ 
petition, they would know what to produce with any chance of success, 
then their place in the prize list would be determined by the degree of 
perfection to which they had been brought. Then, again, a fixed value for 
the different sorts should be established in order that a proper estimate 
of worth might be applied in accordance with the respective merits 
of each, thus making judging more uniform and simplifying the adjudi¬ 
cators’ labours. 
I will now refer to the objection taken to the system mentioned above 
as being too elaborate and taking up too much time. The time wasted 
would be leBs than your correspondent seems to imagine, as it would be 
necessary to apply it only in close competition. And this is where the 
disputes come in, and where men are mystified and led to exclaim, 
“ Well, I don’t see how this or that has been preferred.” Here the cards 
referred to would come in with full details to unravel the mystery. No 
necessity for publication. Moreover, the judges ought not to object to 
the results of their labours being exposed, but rather favour the oppor¬ 
tunity afforded to show the faith that is in them, and nullify the criticism 
to which they are often subjected, as on the occasion of a great show held 
a few years ago north of the Tweed, where the critics were dissatisfied 
with the awards in the big collection of Grapes, supposing that the 
judges had been deceived with the large bunches in the grey of the 
morning, but that if judging had been an hour later the decision would 
have been different. I must still adhere to the declaration of the non¬ 
payment of judges until it becomes a profession ; then I would say the 
better pay the better service we might expect, as the selection is generally 
made from the ranks of head gardeners, whose pay is never withheld 
when absent from home duty. The labour of the servant ought to be 
