218 THE GARDENER [May 



And now, in conclusion, a few words about gardeners' examinations. I heartily 

 agree with all F. W. Burbidge Las said on this subject in the 'Gardener' for 

 December. What is gained in the working one's self ' ' up to the scratch " is in 

 reality the cream of the knowledge ; and, after all, the necessary " cramming " 

 may not be altogether without good effects on the young aspirant, although I by 

 no means approve of it to the extent I have seen it practised. The gaining of 

 certificates is more of a lottery than some people will admit. For example, I 

 could only reach second-class in Floriculture after having gained a first class at a 

 previous examination ; and to further prove this, a candidate who was awarded 

 a first-class by the R. H. S. received a short time after a second from the Society 

 of Arts ; and a year after that again, a third in the same subject. Much depends 

 on the questions : a candidate may be able to answer every question, while in 

 another paper he may not be able to answer more than one half of them. A 

 candidate, to attain first-class merit in successive examinations, must have a wide 

 knowledge of the subject, as well as a smooth, quick-running pen. The practical 

 examinations suggested by F. W. Burbidge, I am afraid, could not be very well 

 carried out — at least, so long as the K. H. S. confines them to Kensington Gar- 

 dens. But why not let these examinations be extended, so that gardeners in 

 general throughout the country may take part in them ? Let the K H. S. extend 

 them to each society in union with it, and conduct them on the same principle 

 as the Society of Arts. If practical examinations were contemplated, they could 

 be conveniently carried out on such occasions as the principal flower-shows, when 

 it would be an easy matter to appoint a committee of gardeners to see that in- 

 tending candidates could perform in a workmanlike manner the common work 

 of the garden. There are right and wrong ways of handling tools, and gardeners 

 who cannot wield their tools with ease, and even grace, 1 would exclude from 

 examinations. The number of marks obtained by each candidate in these exa- 

 minations could be added to each candidate's papers before being sent in to the 

 examiner, and the certificates could be signed by each member of the committee 

 before presenting them to the successful candidates. Were something of this 

 nature to be tried, I feel certain that many of the societies would offer local 

 prizes, to be competed for by candidates in their own localities. This would give 

 some encouragement to candidates, and reward talent, and I have no doubt but 

 it would do much to improve the general education of gardeners ; and in course 

 of time the certificates would become a passport to a good position, and be as 

 necessary as a good character is in the present day. 



" Then let us pray that come it may, 

 As come it will for a' that, 

 That sense and worth, o'er all the earth, 

 Shall bear the gree, and a' that." 



E. I., G. P. 



REPORT ON DOUBLE-FLOWERED PELARGONIUMS. 



A collection, consisting of forty varieties of these novel and useful plants, was 

 grown at Chiswick during the past year. They were also, with one or two excep- 

 tions indicated below, presented to the garden by Mr William Bull, of Chelsea, 

 and formed one of the features of interest in the garden during the late summer 



