278 THE GARDENER. [June 



knowledge of speculative principles or theory is useful. The most 

 illiterate horticulturist, the most ignorant of gardeners, daily em- 

 ploys it. Is it possible for a man to perform any common operation 

 without speculating as to what results will be obtained thereby? If, 

 then, he speculates at all as to the effect or effects to be produced by 

 certain operations of which he himself is the primary cause, most as- 

 suredly that man employs theory ; for are we not duly informed that 

 theory is a speculative plan or scheme 1 Then, again, if a certain 

 amount of theory is not essential, not useful, not of importance, how 

 comes it that it is so commonly employed and advocated by some of 

 the leading horticulturists of the present day ? How is it that our 

 examination pajDers are almost entirely made up of theoretical questions ? 

 The gardener who possesses a goodly store of demonstrative knowledge, 

 coupled with practical skill, is certainly superior to the one that is 

 content with mere habitual practice. 



Because practical knowledge may to some extent exist alone, it does 

 not immediately follow that such knowledge is superior to practical 

 and scientific knowledge in a judicious state of combination. 



The young gardener must learn his profession by precept as well 

 as by mere habitual practice, or his difiiculties, as I said before, will 

 be many, and, moreover, of a kind and character not easy to be re- 

 moved from his path. As the young man attempts to improve him- 

 self, he will continually meet with hindrances and difficulties ; but by 

 persevering industry they will be overcome sooner or later ; and after 

 conquering one difficult problem, he will find himself better able to 

 master the next that presents itself. And after all this persevering 

 study and application to practice, what will be our recompense ? shall 

 we obtain more wages than those who do not study at all ? In all 

 probability we shall not : the best man does not always, as a rule, 

 succeed in obtaining the best situation ; this statement applies more 

 particularly to private establishments, for in some Government situa- 

 tions, when a vacancy occurs, an examination is held — in such cases 

 as these a man reaps all the benefit of his youthful study. 



It must be accepted as a general fact that every operation per- 

 formed in a garden is to produce or to assist in producing some par- 

 ticular effect. I say assist, because, to obtain some ultimate results 

 in horticulture (as in other sciences) — the production of a Pine-apple, 

 for example — we must employ several different operative causes — such 

 as proper soil, heat, moisture, light, and air — all of which are causes 

 that must act in union, in harmonious union, before the end sought 

 after is gained. Now, to thoroughly understand the particular parts 

 performed by these various causes is not such an easy matter after 

 all. Some considerable progress must have been made, many diffi- 



