Correspondence.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2840, 6 March 1888, Page 2

Correspondence.

, Our Horticultural Shows, TO THE KDITOIi. Sin.—When I wrote those few suggestions for the consideration of our Horticultural Society, I had no intention of entering into any discussion on the subject, but as" Hortus" considers I am asiray, I must crave a little more of your valuable space, to say a word in reply, At tlio Autumn Show last year, the exhibitor who took first prize for apples in a certain class showed two late varieties, and one early, while an exhibitor who showed all good early varieties was passed over. This year the early varieties took the first prize, beating some good exhibits of late sorts. If lam not mistaken, " Hortus" had something to do with the judging in the fruit class at both Shows, The standard which" Hortus" quotes is not at all suitable for our Shows, unless they were to be held when the main crop of. apples is ripe. There are no apples ripe in February that will keep well. My idea of what a Horticultural Society, should aim at, would be, first, to encourage as many people as possible to take an interest iu the show by exhibiting; second, to encourage the best and most serviceable fruits and vegetables. If the Society compels settlers to exhibit three early varietias of apples, they will practically exclude persons from exhibiting who have only a few trees, as the majority of them would not have, or require three early sorts. Again, by giving prizes for all ripe varieties, medium and late sorts would be seldom shown, and these arc really the most serviceable, and the ones which people should be encouraged to grow most of. In conclusion, allow me to give the opinion of Mr Mayo of the nursery, Drury, Auckland, who is, perhaps, on# of the best of our Now Zealand authorities on fruit growing. He says, in the New Zealand Farmer for March When we give our prizes 'at our shows in this country, if we judge the fruit by their flavour and appearanco alone, are we doing the good we imagine by encouraging the planting of the pmetaking sorts ? Would it not be better to judge by points, allowing for blight resisting qualities, productiveness, hardiness" etc?" lam (fee,, Would be Exhibitor