«y8 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
cultural skill. On the other hand, "colour” and 
"finish,” and in a measure the "breadth of the 
petal,” are rather incidents and consequent results 
of the period at which the bud is " taken.” It may 
be replied that the accurate " timing” of the bud is 
one of the items of skilful culture. So it is, but the 
result is one also furnished, apart from all knowledge 
of that very important aspect of scientific cultivation, 
by the possession of so many plants of each variety, 
that buds "taken" at hap-hazard, if a thousand 
plants be grown, will result in a " diameter,” 
" depth,” and " solidity,” if the needed skill be not 
present with the cultivator. 
Therefore, I repeat, these latter aspects should, in 
my opinion, have relatively greater weight than 
" colour,” " finish,” and " breadth of petal,” and a 
larger number of " points,” and " marks ” should be 
devoted to their recognition in the exhibition bloom. 
However, in saying this, I am conscious that I am 
expressing a personal opinion which may possibly 
need just as much ” regulation ” as that of others. 
My point of principle is that authority should con¬ 
sider, and formulate, a definite basis or canon of judg¬ 
ing which shall take the place of the uncertain element 
of varying personal opinions which at present 
renders the awards so uncertain, and sometimes 
unsatisfactory. 
Another point : The award of extra points for a 
"Novelty.” I mean simply viewed qua novelty. 
Exhibitors have often remarked to me, " I put in 
this or that variety because one generally gets 
points for novelties,” and this practice is but the 
natural outcome of the fact, which is openly 
admitted by many judges, that they do make some 
extra allowance on account of ” novelties.” I think 
that, as schedules are at present drawn, this practice 
cannot be defended in principle. The central 
object or essence of the competition is surely skilful 
cultivation, as exhibited in certain generally accepted 
aspects, and the mere recognition of a " novelty ” — 
merely as a novelty —is no part of the functions of 
a judge. In the first place, the presence of the 
latest novelties upon the stand is largely influenced 
by the financial position of the exhibitor, an 
influence which, in the interests of extended 
competition, should as far as possible be eliminated. 
But more pertinent still is the consideration, 
that cultivation being of the essence of the 
matter, it is really often impossible in the case of 
a rare and lately introduced variety to form any 
sufficient estimate of the degree of cul ture represented 
by the specimen before us. The bloom may " cover 
the board,” and may be " very attractive in appear¬ 
ance," but a later experience of the variety may 
demonstrate that this pioneer bloom was after all 
but a poor exponent of the floral potentialities of the 
new comer. 
It has been urged on behalf of the existing 
practice that it tends to bring improved varieties 
before the public— a very desirable consummation 
truly; but surely that is a matter which may safely 
be left to our floral committees, and to the energies 
and self-interest of the trade growers. But apart 
even from these agents of publicity, we may rest 
assured that any really good new variety will 
ine\ itably win its way, by reason of the selective 
instincts and taste of our exhibitors, to a general 
recognition bj- the Chrysanthemum community. 
At any rate, the hastening of this result is in my 
judgment too dearly purchased by a sacrifice of 
the true principles of judging. 
If by rare chance the points should come out 
equal, I would allow up to one point for each six 
blooms exhibited, for " staging.” 
I can anticipate the criticism that in the practical 
work-a-day business of judging it would be difficult 
to get the judge to go through the apparently 
elaborate process involved in the proposal made. I 
at once concede that, in a measure, this would be 
so : but although occasionally, or even perhaps at 
first, often, the process would be but partially and 
imperfectly observed by some, I am confident that 
to the able and experienced judge the mental process 
involved in the proceeding would bring with it no 
burden whatever ; and, moreover, there would 
always exist the authoritative " declaration of 
principle,” which would exercise a real and 
substantial influence, and would, as time went on, 
in greater and still greater degree tend insensibly to 
form opinion on the subject, and to direct it into 
definite grooves. The National Chrysanthemum 
Society would in effect be, as it were, a University 
May 12, 1894. 
for the education of the Chrysanthemum judges of 
the future. 
Growers and exhibitors—from which classes 
judges are mainly drawn— would have been com¬ 
pelled to look to the official "standard” as the 
gateway to success at the shows, and it would follow 
that, afterwards, as judges, they would bring to 
bear, in their new capacity, those principles with 
which they had already been so thoroughly imbued, 
and, so, judging upon the basis of the " standard ” 
would be not only not difficult, but would be.the 
natural outcome of their earlier education. 
I will now pass to other aspects of the question of 
-judging Chrysanthemums, which are perhaps less of 
principle than of practice. 
One of these possesses an importance which I 
think the constantly increasing accession of new 
varieties is likely to augment. This is the question, 
in its practical aspect, of " disqualification for 
duplicate ” where " distinct ” varieties are required 
by the schedule. No judge likes to disqualify, but, 
on the other hand, great injustice to other com¬ 
petitors may result if the judge should hesitate and 
omit to disqualify where there exists good reason to 
believe that the terms of the schedule have not been 
fully and fairly complied with. Therefore, the 
position of the judge upon this point ought to be 
made clear and unambiguous, and all difficulties 
possible of removal should be taken from his path. 
The peculiar difficulty of this question is well 
illustrated by an interesting controversy which has 
recently been waged with reference to the admissi¬ 
bility on the same stand, as distinct varieties, of 
A iviand Morel and the alleged white " sport ” there¬ 
from. On the one side it is urged that in view of the 
known law of variation in colour due to the time of 
"taki'g” the bud, and I may add, possibly to 
certain particulars of altitude of bloom, it would be 
premature to accept the suggestion of a white 
" sport ” of the variet3Mn question^^ until the xvhite 
flowers shall have been produced directly from 
cuttings in the ordinary way, or, more conclusive 
still, from a plant grown in bush form. 
On the other hand it is contended that an 
absolutely pure white is outside the limits of 
variation of the variety Viviand Morel resulting 
from the law referred to, and, moreover, that there 
is another law which is made (it is not clearly 
explained how’) responsible for the phenomenon^ 
on the ground of what is called " instability of 
sporting.” 
Whether it would be safe, in view of the well- 
established law of variation above referred to, and 
the great obscurity wffiich still surrounds the ques¬ 
tion of " sporting,” to assume the law of " unstable 
sporting ” in the case of so whimsical a variety as 
A"iviand Morel we need not stop to consider, for, in 
my view of the matter, whichever way the question 
must be answered, we are still met by this perplexity 
— how, in the case of a true sport taking the form of 
a knowm aspect of the variety from which the sport 
arose, or of so trifling a deviation from that know- 
aspect that to differentiate is difficult, is the judge to 
act with confidence in the face of the requirement 
of " distinct ” varieties ? And how, again, when the 
ever increasing arm}- of " new varieties ” (sometimes 
"certificated”) presents us with the differences 
supposed to exist " twixt tweedle-dum and tweedle- 
dee ” ? I would suggest that there will some day 
come to us, if, indeed, the period htts not—as I think 
it has—actually arrived, when the bracketing of 
practically identical (whether hona fide "sports "or 
not) and other " too-much-alike ” varieties will 
become an absolute necessity . 
A minor point, but still a very real one, is that of 
the time placed at the disposal of the judge. It is a 
matter of common experience, and sometimes of 
actual complaint, that the time occupied in the 
judging is often quite inadequate to the task involved. 
This is always to be regretted, and, where possible, 
the work should be so apportioned and split-up that 
it can be done thoroughlj’ ; but we must not forget 
how often the exhibitors themselves, by late arrival 
and tardy staging, still further curtail the already 
not excessive time at the disposal of the judges. 
Let such exhibitors reflect that their dilatory pro¬ 
ceedings tend to react upon themselves. 
Lastly, the qualification of a judge. A competent 
judge must have a practical knowledge of the flower, 
to the latest variety well in commerce, in its mani¬ 
fold and varied forms and aspects. On "early,” 
" middle,” and " late crowns,” and on " terminals ” 
—he should be familiar with them all. I think that 
there are sufficient practical evidences to show that 
such a knowledge may be attained by diligent study 
and examination of the blooms in collections, and in 
the various shows and committees, in the absence of 
an experience based on actual cultivation ; but the 
position of the practical gardener, the man who lives 
amongst his plants —especially if he loves them, too 
—and knows their every phase and mood, is one 
which ought to place him in a position of competence 
second to none. 
It need scarcely be said that the judge must be a 
man of known integrity and independence, and on 
this score fortunately it is very seldom, if ever, that 
difficulty is met with. Il-y-a des juges d Berlin is a 
well-known proverb on the Continent—a tribute to 
appreciated rectitude ; and so there are in our Chrj-- 
santhemum world—at our national shows, and at 
the exhibitions throughout the country, would be 
my reply. Personally, in all my experience, I have 
never heard a word or suggestion aimed at the 
integrity of the judge engaged. 
In the mutual confidence and respect of judges 
and exhibitors we have a basis as valuable as it is 
essential, and the consciousness of its existence 
confirms us in the reflection that w^e have indeed the 
men already ; and that if the " methods of judging ”■ 
be brought up to the standard of those whose office 
it is to carr\- them into practical operation, the 
Chrysanthemum w'orld will indeed have a system of 
adjudication w-orth)- in all respects of the magnifi¬ 
cent productions of the present day. 
These are the "seed-thoughts” which I would 
scatter : and I would venture, in conclusion, to 
affirm that in one thing we must all be in accord, 
and that is, that if anything is to be done to give 
vitality to my suggestions, there is no other body so 
fit or qualified for the task as the National Chrysan¬ 
themum Society of England. 
Addendum. 
Since writing my paper on "Judging Chrysanthe¬ 
mum Blooms,” it has been intimated to me that it 
■{Rational (XIn*^6antl?enuim Socictv. 
CIjA-SS S.-24: -BLOOflyCS. TDISTUnTCT. 
FIRST PRIZF. 
:r. V) 
I 1 
Points. 1 
Marks, j 
Points. 
Marks, ; 
Points. 
Marks. 
Points. 
Marks. 
Points. 
Marks. 
Points. 
Marks. 
Points. 
Marks. 
GRAND TOTALS. 
Points. Marks. 
For blooms 157 9 
For staging 3 0 
160 9 
7 6 
7 3 
6 6 
7 0 
6 9 
6 6 
7 3 
7 6 
1 
6 9 
5 6 
6 9 
5 9 
4 9 
6 o 
7 o 
6 6 
7 o 
6 9 
5 0 
6 3 
6 6 
7 3 
6 6 
7 3 . 
0 
10 
’S. 
O 
O 
o 
2^ 
CN 
C\ 
X 
O X 
.... 
o 
01 
N 
Form to be attached to the First Prize Stand in the chief Class or Classej in each Section 
