March 24 , i888. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
469 
1 
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-EMPEROR WILLIAM’S 
Cornflower! 
T HE favourite flower of the late Emperor of Germany, 
quite hardy, excellent for bouquets. Should be 
sown in the open ground during April. The true stock as 
supplied for many years to His late Majesty can be 
obtained direct from 
SUTTON & SONS, READING. 
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NOTICE TO ADVERTISERS,' 
TN CONSEQUENCE OF THE EASTER 
-L HOLIDAYS, “ The Gardening World ” 
will be Published next iceelc on Thursday morn¬ 
ing instead of Friday. Advertisements for that 
number should reach the Office not later than the 
first post on Wednesday morning, March 28th. 
17, C ATH ERINE STREET, STRAND, W.C. 
Next Week's Engagements. 
Tuesday, March 27th.—Royal Horticultural Society: Meeting 
of Fruit and Floral Committees at the Drill Hall, James 
Street, Victoria Street, at 11 a m. Birmingham Gardeners’ 
Improvement Society : Award of prizes for Essays. Sale of 
Orchids in Flower for Easter decorations at Protheroe & 
Morris's Rooms. 
Wednesday, March 28th.—Spring Flower Shows at Liverpool 
and Glasgow. Sales of Lily Bulbs, Nursery Stock, and 
Greenhouse Plants, by Protheroe & Morris. Sale of Roses, 
Trees and Shrubs, Hardy Plants, &c., at Stevens’ Rooms. 
Thursday, March 29th.—Spring Flower Show at Paisley. 
FOR INDEX TO CONTENTS, SEE P. 478. 
“ Gardening is the purest of human pleasures, and the greatest 
refreshment to the spirit of man.”— Bacon. 
SATURDAY, MARCH 2fi, 1888. 
Point Judging.— No paper in the very interest¬ 
ing little book which Mr. Lewis Castle has 
recently issued under the designation of The 
Chrysanthemum Annual, and which was 
recently alluded to hi these columns, will he 
scanned by readers, perhaps, with greater 
interest than will Mr. J. Wright’s rather con¬ 
tentions remarks upon showing and judging 
Chrysanthemums, or, practically, judging by 
points, which certainly opens the door 
to divergence of opinion in an eminent degree. 
The outcome of much of the grower's 
anxious and patient labour for a year is found 
at exhibitions, and, naturally, the result of 
judgments is regarded with exceeding interest. 
A wrong judgment may inflict not merely un¬ 
merited pain but considerable pecuniary loss, 
and possibly that, after all, is the "weakest 
point in the exhibitor’s armour. In any case, 
it seems to be not only a matter of considerable 
importance as to who the judges are, but also 
as to what principles of judging they will pro¬ 
ceed upon. 
Mr. Wright seems to apply his system, which 
is simple and easily worked and understood, to 
Chrysanthemum judging only, but if sound 
and suitable in that case, it is equally suitable 
for all other things set up for adjudication. 
But whatever systems may be followed, we 
have to remember that they are, in judging, 
absolutely dependent upon the estimate formed 
by the judges as to the merits of the exhibits, 
and in no case can system make that estimate 
absolutely exact, although it may be made 
appreciably so. Thus, it is easy to say a certain 
method of giving points is the best, and if 
adopted then mathematical accuracy is assured ; 
but if, in working the system, judges give 
flowers or other subjects hut fractions of points 
more or less than merited, then injustice may 
he done, and no form or system can ensure 
that any judge’s estimate, especially of minute 
features, will always be correct. 
A very interesting case as to the efficacy of 
the method which Mr. Wright proposes, is 
cpioted by that gentleman as ail illustrative 
example. Two stands of twenty-four blooms 
of Chrysanthemums each are judged upon the 
shillings and pence basis, shillings being taken 
as points and the pence representing fractions ; 
the result is, that in one case the stand is 
placed first with 96 T \, and the other second 
with 96 only. A saying by a well-known judge 
is quoted to the effect that “judges who make 
equal awards do not know their business”; the 
obvious result of that dictum is seen in the 
case quoted, where judges, rather than convict 
themselves on Mr. Douglas’s showing, of being 
incompetent, split hairs so far as to give a 
stand of twenty-four blooms the first prize over 
one of so far equal merit that only three- 
twelfths of a point divided them. Well may 
we exclaim, “ Strange there should such differ¬ 
ence be, ’twixt tweedledum and tweedledee !” 
Now if anyone will take the trouble to 
reduce this 96s. 3d. of points to pence, they 
will find that it amounts to 1,155, whilst the 
second prize lot, with its 96s. points, reaches 
1,152, a difference so utterly infinitesimal that 
we may assert, without fear of contradiction, 
that any half-dozen sets of other judges would 
either have placed the two stands equal or have 
even reversed the award. One of the most 
extraordinary features of the award is this, 
that judged upon a diverse system of points, 
the stands are found to be of equal merit, and 
thus, as we have said, to save the judges’ 
amour pourpre or their reputations from the 
stigma of Mr. Douglas’s dictum, a hair is 
split to the detriment of one meritorious 
grower. No more conclusive evidence could 
be found, were it needed, than this case fur¬ 
nishes, of the fact that all methods of judging, 
however assumedly perfect, are, after all, de¬ 
pendent upon the fancy and bias of the judges, 
and a second set of men would, with the very 
same system, probably work out diverse results. 
Of course, mistakes would hardly be made 
where glaring inequalities in the exhibits were 
evident, but then in such case no elaborate 
systems of mathematical judging are needed 
—the stands or exhibits practically judge 
themselves. 
But the case quoted — whilst strikingly 
exhibiting not only the finite nature of man’s 
capacity in matters of this kind, but also his 
readiness to peddle with mere trifles—also 
exemplifies how readily an exhibitor may he 
made to suffer pecuniary injury. We have no 
information as to what were the amounts of 
the prizes in question, hut assuming that there 
were three, of £3, £2 and £1 respectively, we 
should see that whilst the second stand was 
but of a point behind the first, out of a 
grand total in each case of 96 points, showing 
a pecuniary difference relative to the value of 
the exhibits of about 3d., yet the same prize 
winner has to he content with 20s., or fully 
one-third less value than the first prize. Now 
it is absolutely impossible that anyone can 
assert such a result is just. The only thing 
done is to save the judges from the stigma 
of “ not having minds of their own,” and 
a gross pecuniary loss is inflicted upon a highly 
meritorious exhibitor. 
The case strongly enforces the fact, that 
only on a basis of awarding prizes according to 
actual merit, as displayed in points, can real 
justice be done. It is absurd to say that the 
stand which stood three fractions out of 96 
below the other is only second best, because 
such minute distinctions cannot he demon¬ 
strated to the satisfaction of any other triplet 
of judges or the general public. The incident 
also serves to demonstrate the fact, that with 
first-rate growers equality, or general equality, 
in the respective exhibits may be looked for 
henceforth, even more than in the past; indeed, 
such a gradual growth towards evenness and 
perfection in quality is inevitable. For that 
reason, and because of the hair-splitting in judg¬ 
ment which must constantly ensue, the present 
method of awarding the total amount of money 
given to a class needs entire revision. If 
awards are to be made by points, prizes should 
be awarded on the same basis, and the winner 
of 96 96 and 95 points, having such in¬ 
finitesimal differences in merit in exhibits, 
should have the same infinitesimal differences 
made in the relative values of their money 
prizes. 
-- 
The Wilts Horticultural Society will hold its annual 
summer show at Salisbury on Thursday, August 23rd. 
Spring Flowers in London_During the next 
week or two there will be special displays of Hyacinths, 
Tulips, and other spring-flowering subjects in the 
nurseries of Messrs. J. Yeitch & Sons, Chelsea, Mr. B. 
S. Williams, Holloway, and Messrs. W. Cutbush & Son, 
Highgate. Visitors to town during the Easter holidays 
should make a note of this. 
Gardening Changes.—Mr. W. J. Ireland, formerly 
gardener at Nostell Priory, Wakefield, is engaged by 
Sir H. H. Vivian, Bart., M.P., to succeed Mr. Harris as 
gardener at Singleton, near Swansea. Mr. H. Rogers, 
gardener to S. Lawrence, Esq., Clapham Park, is 
engaged to succeed Mr. Mill as gardener to Lord 
Rendlesham, at Rendlesham Hall, Woodbridge, Suffolk. 
Orchids in Bradford.—A Bradford correspondent 
informs us that Mr. J. Charlesworth, of Emm Lane, 
Heaton, the Orchid importer, having now a fine show 
of Cattleya Trianse and other Cattleyas collected for 
him by his collector, Mr. Hennis, has fora time thrown 
open his houses to the public. The Odontoglossums 
and the other cool things are in grand order, we under¬ 
stand, and no doubt Mr. Charlesworth’s show will 
make fresh converts to Orchid culture in the north. 
The Weather.—At last we may hope that spring has 
come, for about 6 a.m. on Thursday, March 22nd, a 
change took place round London, and a rapid thaw 
quickly effaced all trace of frost and snow. The 
weather was very mild during the day, and the change 
from the cold cutting winds will he very agreeable, 
especially to nurserymen, who have been so long unable 
to clear off their orders. 
Bolton and District Chrysanthemum Society.— 
The first exhibition of this society, held last year, 
having proved very successful—the balance-sheet 
showing a balance in favour of the society amounting 
to £15 12s. 10c2.—the committee have decided to make 
the show open, and to offer a more extensive list of 
prizes for the next exhibition, which will be held on 
the 23rd and 24th of November. 
National Florists’ Societies.—The Southern Sections 
of the National Auricula and Primula, and National 
Carnation and Picotee Societies have just issued their 
