Evening star., 1943-06-08
Judging Rules Issued
or Victory Gardens
In Prize Contest
Arrangement, Cultural
Practices and Kinds of
Crops Among Factors

Rules for judging Victory gardens
in the $1,000-prize contest were
made public today by Richard P.
White of the District Victory Gar
den Committee Mr. White, WASH
ington representative of the Ameri-
can Association of Nurserymen,
heads the subcommittee on prizes.
A $100 War bond will be given
for the best Victory garden in the
Metropolitan Area. A $25 bond and
$40 in stamps will be given for the
best and second best gardens in
each of eight sections, the four
sections of the city, Northwest,
Southwest, Southeast and North
east, and for the Bethesda Chevy
Chase area, the Silver Spring Ia
koma Park area, Prince Georges
County and the Alexandria -Arling-
ton-Fairfax area. Prizes of $40 and
IS in stamps will be given in each
of the city's 66 defense areas.
When the garden was started will
not be an element in the competi-
ton, Mr.. White emphasized. AS
production is not factor, gardens
started late can compete on an
equal basis with those started in
March.
First Judging June 20-30.
He also pointed out that garden
ers will have about two to three
weeks to make their gardens ready
for judging, as the first inspection
of judges is planned for the 10 days
between June 20 and June 30. A
second inspection will be made in
September and the combined scores
will be used to determine the
awards.
Names of the judges will soon be
announced. 1t is known they will
include horticultural experts from
the Agriculture Department.
The instruction to judges" reads:
''All gardens will be judged on a
basis of five visible factors as fol-
lows:
"O Appearance: Consideration
will be given to straightness of rows,
planting distances of vegetables.
whether too close for proper de-
velopment or too widely spaced so
that land is wasted, neatness of
garden borders, maturity of crops
vegetables not too mature for use),
etc.
"(O Arrangement: Are the crops
grouped according to their climatic
requirements so that succession
crops can be planted in an orderly
way? Are iAtercrops used? Do
tau-growing crops shade other crops
that need the sun, etc? Is all avail
able land used advantageously with
out waste or overcrowding?
Mulches to Be Noted.
"(D Cultural practices: Have the
various crops been properly thinned?
Are weeds under control? Are
mulches used to conserve moisture?
Are those crops needing hilling up
properly taken care Of? If tomatoes
or other crops staked, was the job
well done? Are the plants now in
harvest yielding we'll and are other
plants growing vigorously, ETC.?
"(4 Pest control: Are evidences
present of damage caused by in
sect pests or plant diseases? Have
they been controlled or checked?
"(5) Kinds and varieties of crops:
Does the assortment being grown
provide the family with fresh vege-
tables over long period? Have
crops of high food value been
planted? Are salads. greens and
boiling vegetables we'll balanced?
20 Points for Each Factor.
For each factor 20 points are
allowed for perfectness so that the
perfect garden, If it existed, would
score 100.
"All judging consists of making
comparisons. Consequently, in judg-
ing, the judges should keep in mind
the best garden visited at all times
and compare others to it. If a
better garden is visited then this
garden should be kept in mind and
comparisons made with the new
best In this way, by elimination,
the best two gardens can be arrived
at"
Any one in Washington or the
surrounding counties can enter his
garden for the prizes Fill in the
coupon on this page and The Star
will see that your garden is entered
for all the prizes. local and metro
politan, for which it is eligible.