APRIL. 117 



METHOD IN GARDENING. 



In nothing is a careful gardener more distinguished from a careless 

 one, than by the observance in all his procedures of metliod; and 

 nothing conduces more to his superior success. In fact, how can 

 any thing be done without it ? A methodical man will accomplish 

 twice as much in a given time as one who has vastly more ability, 

 and Avorks thrice as hard, if deficient in this essential element of 

 success. 



There is just one point which I would suggest to the considera- 

 tion of my gardening readers, in connection with this subject, which 

 I would designate working by plan. 



It can hardly fail to have occurred to any one who notices the 

 results of his experience, how much more is accomplished by a man 

 who has a certain and definite object before him, than by one who 

 works on, however hard he may toil, without a purpose and without a 

 plan. In nothing is this more exemplified than in gardening. Its 

 operations, many of them, to be successful, must be performed at 

 precise and particular seasons, and are more dependent upon this than 

 those of almost any other occupation. Very few gardeners have time 

 to spare; most, in the busy seasons especially, are pressed for time; 

 and hence it becomes absolutely essential to economise it by method 

 in its employment. 



Effectually to do this, the work of each month should be sketched 

 out on paper at its commencement ; each Saturday night or Monday 

 morning, a more detailed arrangement should be made of the opera- 

 tions for the ensuing week ; and each evening the work should be 

 allotted for the following day. This may seem a tedious and im- 

 practicable course, but having had practical experience of its value, 

 I am bold to maintain, that half as much again at least will be 

 accomplished, and what is done will be better done. 



As a necessary accompaniment to this scheme, I should place the 

 keeping of a diary of all the work done in each department of the 

 garden every day in the year. This is somewhat troublesome, but 

 its utility so entirely outweighs its difficulty, that, once adopted, it 

 is certain to be continued. The value of such a record, indeed, it is 

 not easy to overrate. It furnishes just the guide th9,t is wanted in 

 the pre-arrangement of work recommended. It is true the weekly 

 and monthly calendars given in the different gardening periodicals 

 will in a measure supply this want, but only ir^ a measure; these 

 helps, like all other helps, are only useful to those who help them- 

 selves; to those who make them substitutes for consideration on 

 their own part, they are Avorse than useless. But let a man have 

 such a record as described of his own work in past years to turn to, 

 at the beginning of every month he will go carefully over it, see 

 Avhat was done at the same time in previous seasons, to refresh his 

 memory; then call to mind how it succeeded, whether a given opera- 

 tion was performed too early or too late, or in any respect impro- 

 perly; and thus, guided by the experience of the past, lay his plans 



