216 THE GARDENER. [May 



purple on the upper segments, and to a striped semi-double Primula 

 Sinensis, having rose-stripes on a white ground ; Messrs W. Cutbush 

 & Sons, Highgate, for Azalea Francois de Vos, a bright crimson-coloured 

 free-blooming variety that forces remarkably well ; Messrs A. Paul 

 ife Sons, Cheshunt, for a new hybrid perpetual Rose named Madlle. 

 Eugenie Verdier, with full, pale-blush pink flowers ; Messrs Rollisson 

 & Sons, for Epacris hyacinthiflora carminata, well coloured, compact in 

 growth, and free-blooming ; Mr Edmonds, Hayes, for a splendid large- 

 flowering Cyclamen Persicum, named giganteura, with large, rich, rosy- 

 purple flowers of uncommon size ; and to Messrs Veitch & Sons for a 

 dwarf -growing, free- blooming hybrid Rhododendron, named multi- 

 florum, with flesh-coloured flowers, that appears to force well. The 

 new Abyssinian Primrose, Primula Contii, recently exhibited by 

 Messrs Veitch & Sons, is a plant both curious and interesting. It has 

 a singular appearance, the foliage having that powdered look common 

 to some of the show Auriculas, and it produces pale-yellow flowers in 

 two tiers of corymbs, the growth being about 18 inches in height. 

 Its great use will be for the purpose of hybridising, and a remarkable 

 progeny may be looked for when crossed with other species of the 

 same genus. R. D. 



THE EDUCATION OF GARDENERS. 



During 1869, much was said in the pages of the ' Gardener' about the education 

 of youDg gardeners. Those specially interested are much indebted to Mr David 

 Thomson, "The Squire's Gardener," and other correspondents, for the sound 

 advice given in their excellent papers ; also to the Editor, for the notes he occa- 

 sionally added to these communications. As one of the " youngsters," I may be 

 permitted to detail my experiences and difficulties in climbing the " tree of know- 

 ledge." I have never been in the condition of your unfortunate correspondent, 

 "One in Despair," who, as musicians would say, struck the key-note of his 

 " psalm of life " a full crescendo, but now seems inclined to end it with a woeful 

 diminuendo, in touching despairing accents. Perhaps he will be disposed to say 

 I escaped his fate because I was not educated ! My school education was some- 

 thing as follows : — I went to school during winter, and herded cows in summer. 

 This I began to do when I was only eleven years of age. At the age of sixteen 

 I was bound to serve an apprenticeship in a gentleman's establishment in a far- 

 north county of the " Land o' Cakes." My " education " was of such a character 

 that, in the true sense of the words, I could neither read, write, spell, nor do any 

 arithmetic. It has been said, That is how gardeners get such miserable low wages ; 

 and how can it be otherwise while these " clarty Scotchmen " persist in making 

 so-called gardeners of their " herd laddies," and send them " south " to take their 

 places by the side of better-educated men 1 Be this as it may, I can only state 

 that the men who opened the garden-gates to me made the best they could of 



