98 THE GARDENER. [March 



be made of these attainments % that is the question by which their real 

 value is to be ultimately appraised. By all means let these examina- 

 tions be carried on, and, if possible, more widely diffused ; but the 

 race is not won when they are triumphantly passed ; rather it is the 

 start in the race, but under highly favourable circumstances. 



What is greatly needed in the present day is, some means by which 

 a large number of gardeners, in the more lowly and needful circum- 

 stances of life, can be brought into contact with the varied streams of 

 information on gardening matters now running out in almost every 

 direction by means of the wide diffusion of the various gardening 

 papers, <fcc. There is much need for this ; and we are glad to find that 

 in some parts of the country the gardeners in different localites are 

 banding themselves together, and, by the aid of the principle of co-ope- 

 ration, creating a valuable means of mutual instruction relative to the 

 various occupations connected with their craft. An old poet has 

 written : — 



" Kindred objects kindred thoughts inspire, 

 As summer clouds flash forth electric fire : " 



and the more modern recognition of this thought sees in the principle 

 of co-operation a material, if not a necessary, aid to social progress. 

 What can be attempted by means of such a principle is to be seen in 

 the annual report of the Bitterne and West End Gardeners' Mutual 

 Improvement Society, which has just come to hand. The district 

 covered by the operations of the Society is one situated a few miles 

 south of Southampton, and combines the range of two prosperous vil- 

 lages lying almost side by side. By means of this Society, three 

 copies of the 'Gardeners' Chronicle,' three copies of the 'Gardeners' 

 Magazine,' and three copies of the ' Journal of Horticulture,' are circu- 

 lated weekly ; one copy of the ' Gardeners' Record ' is circulated fort- 

 nightly ; and one copy of the ' Gardener,' and one of the ' Florist and 

 Pomologist,' are circulated monthly among the members ; and so the 

 members of the Society have the command of a very full range of mat- 

 ters engaging the attention of horticulturists. The practical import of 

 this arrangement is thus stated in the report : " Each member has the 

 advantage of perusing papers of the annual value of £3, 16s. 6d. for the 

 sum of 4s. 4d.," paid annually in the form of a weekly subscription of 

 one penny. Then there are occasional lectures on horticultural matters 

 about to be added, as a means of extending the usefulness of the 

 Society ; and no doubt there are many pleasant meetings for mutual 

 converse and discussion, the value of which who shall estimate 1 With 

 such a useful organisation in operation, it is perhaps not to be won- 

 dered at that this district has also a local Horticultural Society which 



