Mardh 26, K3». ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
253 
will take a rest at times. We find it so outside often under favourable 
circumstances ; why not inside ?— Thomas Nutting. 
JUDGING FRUIT. 
The S. D. system of judging fruit advocated by Mr. Mclndoe de¬ 
mands something more than a cursory notice, and if this method or any 
■other led to unanimity among censors and exhibitors many altercations 
would be prevented. Many times during my recollection has this sub¬ 
ject been ventilated, and opinions, varied and conflicting, have been 
given. Experienced fruit growers who have employers to serve with 
■palates well tutored as to the quality of fruit of the highest excellence 
generally receive an education into the mysteries and of the merits of 
productions of highest value. It is noticeable that many fruits are 
tabled at horticultural exhibitions which are valueless at home as 
dessert fruits, and frequently the unwary censor is guided by appear¬ 
ance exclusively, Apples, Pears, Peaches, Plums, and other fruits taking 
honours for what could not be served in a well appointed dessert, except 
for show, while others were kept in reserve (as such is frequently the 
case) to be handed to those who are partakers of the fruit. For 
■example, we have placed Blood Pine Apples and other coarse and showy 
kinds on the table while Queens and Jamaicas were served. The same 
may be said of Grapes and Melons, especially the latter, which may be 
tested by an instrument similar to that used to prove the quality of 
cheese. But again ieverting to the system advocated by Mr. Mclndoe, 
who, by his experience and success as an exhibitor, should be able to 
^arrive at conclusions deserving favourable consideration. If schedules 
gave certain points which were to be adjudicated the results would be a 
minimum amount of labour for judges, and probably remove much of 
the censure which is liberally administered to censors. How common it 
is to hear expressions immediately after awards have been made, such as 
"“He is no better qua'ified to judge than an old woman.” This is from 
disappointed exhibitors of course ; while within sound may he heard 
such utterances as “ He is one who knows his work, and wid never 
scruple to do justice to all concerned.” The hardened judge puts no 
■value on the praise of the one, neither does he feel his reputation suffer 
in the least by the censure of the other. 
Having almost since my earliest recollections been associated with 
exhibitions held in many districts throughout England, as well as sub¬ 
sequently in Scotland, I would beg permission to compare some of my 
preconceived notions with the value'of the awards which Mr. Mclndoe 
-offers for the acceptance of exhibitors at the present time. First on the 
list are white Grapes. These we have always thought proper to divide 
in several classes. Muscats of first quality will outdistance any others, 
however fine the latter may be ; and black kinds of every class which we 
diave seen are secondary to Muscat Hamburghs. Then next come Black 
Hamburghs, except Dutch Hamburgh, which is very large in berry, 
coarse and fibry,and we never considered it worthy of more than third rate 
position. Many of the black kinds make a fine display during autumn, 
but at a time totally unfit for the dessert table ; therefore in judging we 
would give them due consideration and put them at their true value, third. 
Pine Apples we note are 5s. 3d. If they are first rate they certainly 
should hold the highest position ; say Queen, G lbs. to 7 lbs., and Smooth 
•Cayennes, 9 lbs. to 11 lbs., all in fine order as to form, soundness, and 
ripeness, would come second to no other dish in the collection. A good 
Pine on an exhibition table is the exception, and not the rule, in these 
days, and it is not a very rare thing to cut up Pines with every good 
-external quality and find them by “ black hearts ” worthless. Our ex¬ 
perience among consignments at Covent Garden has revealed sad dis- 
-closures. Four Melons are put at Gs. The best of them rank lower than 
first rate Grapes or Pines, and size, beauty in colour, smell or form we 
never yet found adequate to warrant a correct decision, and often with 
all these qualities are unfit to be eaten. As the majority of Melons 
■exhibited are inferior I think most judges would be glad to dispense 
with tasting them. Nausea is sometimes an adjunct to the tasting of 
Melons. We could relate many peculiar incidents associated with 
"Melon judging ; one may suffice—viz., 
Many years ago when an “ underling ” in Wiltshire we often took to 
Bath for May and September exhibitions Golden Perfection Melons, 
which invariably held good positions, and on one occasion there were 
•over thirty fruits which were tabled for the examination of the censors, 
and our fruit was not true golden, neither had it scent, and was held up 
to ridicule by onlookers ; but the judges awarded the first prize, and the 
late Mr. Cramb at Tortworth (who was a censor) declared this colour¬ 
less lump of matter was in reality the only good flavoured Melon of the 
■whole lot. Fine Peaches are as deceptive as any fruit, but when first 
rate kinds, such as Noblesse, Royal George, and Bellegarde are present in 
■good form, the coarser kinds, though larger and very showy, should play 
•second part, and they cannot be tested without examining each fruit 
individually. A few years ago on a table where Mr. Mclndoe was 
sweeping off the leading prizes we received some amount of censure for 
passing over a fine dish of Hale’s Early Peach, but the exhibitor was 
silent, and when we told him the reason why we passed by his fine-look¬ 
ing fruit his reply was, “ Quite right, I did not think you would have 
lifted them."” They were split right through the stone. Nectarines, 
Figs, and Pears may come nearly on the same level, but the kinds must 
be known and their quality established before their real value can be 
certificated, as appearance in them is also very misleading. Plums are 
often represented by huge Magnum Bonums, when Green Gages would 
far outdistance them. There are so many beautiful Apples which are 
worthless, mere show in them is barely worth recognition. I for one, I 
fear, would require special tuition before I could do complete justice by 
the S. D. system of judging fruits. —M. Temple, Carronliuuse. 
MUTISIAS. 
Although the extremely numerous cultivated members of the 
great Composite family of plants afford a considerable variety in style of 
growth, yet the one habit seems to be a peculiar ^departure from the 
prevailing characters—namely, the tendency to climbing. In the genus 
Mutisia, however, this is represented, and consequently the few species 
grown in English gardens possess an appearance that at first glance 
renders them very distinct from ordinary members of the family, and 
FIG. 33.—MUTISIA CLEMATIS. 
this is increased by the floral form. The Mutisias are natives of South 
America, chiefly of Chili and the Western Andes, but although over 
thirty species have been described, there are very few in cultivation. 
The best known perhaps is M. decurrens, but one which in some respects 
is more attractive than that is M. Clematis, represented in the woodcut 
(fig. 38). Specimens of this were recently exhibited by Mr. F. Ross 
from Pendell Court Gardens, which is a kind of museum of plant 
curiosities, and from one of these our sketch was prepared. But M. 
Clematis is something more than a mere curiosity ; it is a really orna¬ 
mental plant, the long tubular bright red flower heads drooping from 
the slendei climbing stems supported by neat pinnate and tendril- 
terminated leaves having a graceful appearance in suitable situations. 
Both the species named succeed very well in a greenhouse trained to 
