HINTS TO EXHIBITORS
Horticultural Classes
- Uniformity of exhibits should be aimed at. A single large specimen shown with much smaller examples will not impress the judges.
- Leaves should be cut off beetroot, carrots and parsnips, leaving about 75mm of leaf stalk
- Onions should be shown with about 75mm of stalk folded down and tied if dry or cut to approx. 23 cm if green.
- Shallots should be separate, not in clusters and treated similarly.
- All roots should be washed gently, not scrubbed.
- Peas, beans and tomatoes should have stalks
- Exhibits can be labelled with cultivar or variety
- Cabbages, cauliflowers, calabrese and broccoli should be shown with approx. 50mm of stalk
- Courgettes should be approx. 150mm in length and 35mm diameter.
- Lettuce roots should be washed and wrapped in moist tissue and inserted in a neatly tied plastic bag.
- Marrows should be less than 350mm long
- Peas should have 25mm of stalk and retain their waxy bloom. They should not be polished.
- Radishes should be shown with 40mm of stalk.
- Rhubarb should be shown with top foliage cut off leaving approx. 75mm from start of leaf stalk.
- If exibits appear to the judge to be of equal merit, arrangement of the exhibit may be taken into account.
- Preservation of natural bloom on all fruit is desired. It should not be polished.
- All fruit (except apricots, nectarines, peaches and nuts) should be shown with stalks intact.
Domestic Classes
- Jam jars should be covered with a wax disc and cellophane, or a lacquered metal lid, or a plastic lid (available from Women’s Institute) without a wax disc.
- Bread and cakes should be at least 24 hours old.
- It is advisable to cover all food with cling film.
- Cakes look attractive if presented on a china plate with doyley.
- Use plenty of cling film to enable judges to re-seal or cover cakes, etc. Alternatively, plate covers will be provided by the Society on the day.
- Based on the British Poultry Standards book:
- Eggs judged for external appearance should be of an elliptical cone shape, circular in cross-section, of even colour, with regular mottles or speckles, where appropriate.
- Eggs judged for content should have a bright, golden-yellow yolk, free from streaks or spots without any sign of embryo development. Albumen should be clear with no spots or cloudiness.
- Decorated eggs can be whole or cut with painted interiors, but the egg shape must be visible and recognisable. Decoration may be with beads, shells, cardboard and colouring.
N.B. A bantam egg should weigh no more than 1½ oz (42.5g), being from a small example of a larger breed of hen.