80 THE GARDENER. [Feb. 



upon him with diffidence, for visions rise up before me of great men 

 — not only mentally but physically great — who, clothed in broadcloth 

 and linen of spotless purity, have made themselves kings and princes 

 amongst amateur cultivators in the great modern Wars of the Roses. 

 Our Queen of Flowers must have no common men for her chief minis- 

 ters, although all may bask in the sunshine of her sweet smiles ; and 

 thus it is that, at the present time especially, our Rose-amateur stands 

 far above the range of other amateur growers in the position he 

 holds in horticultural society. The amateur vegetable-grower may be 

 said to dwell in a lower world. The labour he has to undergo in the 

 pursuit of his special pleasure would scare a man made of tenderer 

 stuff, for vegetables must have exercised over them much physical toil — 

 indeed, the success the amateur meets with will usually prove the best 

 test of the toil he has bestowed on the production of his crops. At 

 one time he will astonish you with the size and shape of his Onions ; 

 at another, with the fine quality of his Potatoes (for this noble esculent 

 he exhibits, and rightly too, a special pride) ; and then, later on, he 

 will show you such Celery, so white and crisp, and withal so delicately 

 flavoured, that you can hear him chuckle as he puts it to you whether 

 you can beat it 1 



These are, however, but a small selection of types from out our 

 great army of amateur cultivators — thanks to the spread of horti- 

 cultural information through the medium of the press. A love of 

 that beautiful science is fast permeating all classes of the community, 

 and not least in importance are the results to be found amidst the 

 suburban denizens of our great towns, whose occupations, whether 

 professional or otherwise, are usually of a sedentary character, and 

 who, therefore, find in their gardens the purest and healthiest recre- 

 ation, combined with a profitable bestowal of labour. This class 

 furnishes what might be termed the general amateur, for he dabbles 

 a little in most things that appertain to a garden. It is to this 

 body I intend, as occasion serves, to offer some information suited 

 to their special circumstances. Living, as I do, in the suburbs of 

 a large town, and being myself to a great extent one of this class, 

 I hope not only to instruct others, but, in the act of doing so, to 

 be myself taught, and so each and all be benefited by the action. 



Southron. 



