Kovember  5,  1903. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
421 
together,  or  as  near  as  possible,  except  under  exceptional 
circumstances.  The  judges,  having  made  themselves  acquainted 
with  the  rules  of  the  particular  society  they  are  acting  for, 
for  the  time  being,  such  as  to  the  classification  of  certain 
-  varieties,  or  conditions  which  they  have  to  carry  out,  remem¬ 
bering  at  all  times  they  are  not  ' there  to  make  laws,  but  to 
carry  them  out,  even  if  they  appear  to  be  wrong,  a  walk  round 
the  room  is  then  taken  to  obtain,  as  it  were,  the  key  bloom  in 
each  section.  This  cursory  glance  enables  a  judge  to  understand 
better  the  class  of  blooms  he  has  to  deal  with  at  this  particular 
exhibition.  A  mere  glance  at  some  of  the  competing  stands 
is  sufficient  to  know  that  they  will  not  require  closer  scrutiny. 
Those  that  necessitate  a  further  inspection  are  noted  in  some 
way  peculiar  to  individual  judges.  If  a  second  glance  is  not 
sufficient,  to  settle  the  position  of  each,  then  the  individual 
merit  of  each  bloom  is  considered.  The  judges  fix  upon  a 
maximum  number  of  points,  which  is  generally  six,  made 
other  point  but  this,  it  cannot  then  score  a  maximum  number 
of  points,  owing  to  this  deficiency.  It  seems  superfluous  to  say 
that  maximum  means  perfection,  and  that  is  indeed  a  rare 
occurrence  to  meet  with.  Instead  of  taking  each  bloom  separately 
from  left  to  right,  beginning  at  the  back  row,  I  commence  at 
the  left  hand  end  of  the  stand,  taking  the  blooms  in  rows  of 
three,  upwards  or  downwards,  it  matters  not,  as  long  as  the 
practice  is  the  same  throughout  the  whole  show. 
Some  judges  with  a  limited  experience  commence  to  point 
high ;  but  as  they  proceed  thev  so  often  find  blooms  of  the 
same  variety  much  superior  to  those  to  which  they  have  given 
the  maximum  number  of  points  to  but  a  short  time  previously. 
Here,  then,  is  an  instance  of  the  advantage  of  taking  a  quiet 
look  round  before  commencing  the  awards  to  obtain  the  key 
bloom.  The  various  points  of  excellence  should  be  well  studied, 
always  bearing  in  mind  that  quality  is  of  far  more  consequence 
than  mere  size. 
Austealie 
Madame  Carnot 
Mrs.  W.  Mease. 
Chrysanthemums 
Madame  G.  Henry 
according  to  the  key  bloom  noted  previously.  Now  comes  the 
question  of  allotting  the  points. 
Of  course,  a  beginner  should  have  made  himself  acquainted 
with  the  properties  contained  in  Chrysanthemum  blooms  of  all 
sections,  such  as  size,  depth,  solidity,  breadth  of  petal,  finish, 
freshness,  form,  and  colour.  Size  is  not  determined  by  dia¬ 
meter  alone  ;  the  depth  should  be  taken  into  consideration.  If 
a  bloom  has  size,  but  lacks  some  other  points,  such  as  a  want  of 
freshness  or  density  of  colour,  for  its  individuality,  it  cannot 
be  called  perfect,  and  cannot  obtain  the  inaximum  number  of 
points.  Five  does  not  perhaps  do  it  justice ;  then  five  and  a 
half  should  be  given,  and  so  on  throughout  the  stand.  Seldom, 
indeed  do  we  find  maximum  blooms.  Some  persons  may  think 
half  points  are  ridiculous,  much  less  quarter  points.  In  my 
opinion,  though,  it  is  the  only  way  of  dealing  justice  accu- 
ratelv.  ,  , 
There  is  a  strong  tendency  amongst  exhibitors  to  stage 
blooms  not  fully  expanded.  If  a  bloom  be  perfect  in  every 
Just  one  example  of  pointing,  then  I  must  conclude,  as  I 
have  already  occupied  much  space.  The  front  row  bloom  is  a 
full  sized  one  of  Mrs.  T.  W.  Poekett,  but  is  a  trifle  pale  in 
colour ;  to  this  is  given  four  points.  The  middle  bloom  is  a  per¬ 
fect  example  in  every  way  but  size  of  Mrs.  Barkley  ;  to  this 
is  given  five  and  a  half  points.  The  back  row  bloom  is  a  full 
sized  one  of  Mrs.  J.  Lewis,  perfect  in  petal  and  “  build,”  but 
showing  a  faint  tinge  of  age  on  the  lower  florets.  To  this  is 
also  given  five  and  a  half  points,  making  a  total  of  fifteen  points, 
and  so  on  until  all  the  rows  are  done.  The  points  are  then 
added  up,  and  that  liaving  the  highest  number  wins.  Suppose 
two  .stands  are  equal  in  number  of  point.s — not  a  unique  experi¬ 
ence,  certainly — the  two  stands  then  must  be  gone  over  again, 
this  time  starting  from  the  opposite  end  ;  and  if  they  total  an 
equal  number  again,  the  arrangement  of  colour  and  staging  of 
the  blooms  will  decide  the  difference. — F.  IMolyneux. 
[This  letter,  and  the  one  from  Mr.  Brotherston,  .should  be 
compared. — Ed.] 
