THE GARDENER. [Feb. 



THE EDUCATION OF GARDENERS. 



Let us see what " One in despair " puts forth to show that education is of little 

 benefit to a gardener. 



1. lie served his apprenticeship at a nobleman's place, where there were 

 twenty men employed. 



2. Went to another large place, where he paid 3s. per week to the head-gar- 

 dener, but learned nothiug from him. 



3. Was five years head-gardener, with three men under him, and left owing to 

 a quarrel with one of the other servants. 



4. Took a single-handed place for his own convenience, was discharged with 

 other servants without warning or character, but from no fault of his own. 



5. Having been some time out of work, went into the nurseries. 



6. Got a recommendation to a good place, where he was five years, and where, 

 but for his own fault, he might have been now. 



7. Dropped down to a working gardener at 20s. per week. 



Verdict on the above : This man sank in spite of his education, with more 

 opportunities to rise than fall to the lot of one gardener out of a hundred. 



Let the young gardener, who with much trouble has educated himself, gather 

 from this statement that if ready to adapt himself to the natural incidences of 

 his position, whether pleasant or otherwise, he will not want opportunities to 

 rise. Down South. 



ON THE CONSTRUCTION OF FRAMES. 



Kindly allow me a few lines in reply to your correspondents, A.M.A. and Adam 

 Kenton, with respect to the building of their frames, the former with gas- tar, 

 the latter with gas-lime. For my own part, I do not see any analogy between 

 the two cases, owing to the very great difference in the composition of the 

 materials used. Gas-tar contains a large quantity of naphtha, and it is doubt- 

 less this ingredient which makes it dangerous to the life of plants, especially when 

 the frame is warmed by artificial heat, and kept closed. We have all experienced 

 the disagreable smell rising from walks made of ashes and gas-tar when the 

 heat of the summer affects them, while in cold weather no such smell is emitted. 

 Gas-lime is composed principally of lime, in which is absorbed sulphuretted 

 hydrogen and carbonic acid gases ; and this compound being in a moist state, a 

 certain quantity of ammonia is mechanically held by it. This latter compound is a 

 great fertiliser, and the agreeable softness of rain-water is due to the presence of this 

 alkali. The " pungency " of gas-lime is doubtless owing to the presence of this 

 gas ; for when newly prepared and carefully applied it is found very destruc- 

 tive to wire-worms, slugs, earth-worms, &c, its caustic properties dissolving, so 

 to speak, their tender skin. 



On the application of a gentle heat, the ammonia is drawn away from the gas- 

 lime, so that there is left the sulphuret and carbonate of lime, neither of which, 

 when used in the composition of mortar, could do any harm. Gas-lime, when 

 laid up with loam for a few months, makes a first-rate dressing for lawns, &c, 

 imparting to them a rich green appearance. A few years ago this mixture was 

 applied to a cricket-ground in my neighbourhood, and throughout the season 

 there was a grand herbage on it, the sheep being particularly fond of the feed so 

 produced. An Amateur Chemist and Gardener. 



