A CHAITEB ON OAUDENERS. 



pleasure and profit not to be sought for, unless in the orchard or vinyard, on which 

 time and capital have been largely expended. 



The importance of AViilow to man has been recognized throughout Europe, from 

 the earliest ages. Among the Romans, as early as the time of Cato, a crop of Willow 

 was considered so valuable that he ranks the salictiim (or Willow field) next in impor- 

 tance to the vineyard. And in modern times. Sir 1. W. Hooker observes, "The many 

 important uses rendered to man by the different species of W^illow, serve to rank them 

 among the first in the list of our economical j)Iaii(s." Now what T liave attempted to 

 indicate by the foregoing hints, is that the Willow plantation is capable of producing 

 great results; but only when managed with the care that is the offspring of know- 

 ledge : and that the proper selection of varieties at the outset is all important. As is 

 tli<' management of the salictum or vineyards, so are the profits — mhius, ^j/?/*, or 

 pi H rim us. 



A CHAPTER ON GARDENERS. 



BY nOETICOL^V. 



NuRSERTMEx and florists are frequently called gardeners, but in tlie present case I 

 wish to be understood as meaning gentlemen^s gardeners. To begin at the beginning, 

 I will first inquire what a gardener is. In scientific phraseology, lie belongs to the 

 genus Homo and to tbe natural order of Menials. If you doubt my assertion, or wish 

 for higher authority as to the correctness of my classification, I refer you to any of the 

 New York papers, where, if you will run your eye down the columns, you will find — 



"Waxted — Three cooks, one housemaid, two waiters, four coachmen, two gardeners, 

 and a servant of all work." 



As the gardener belongs to this family, he is treated by his employer in the same 

 manner as the rest. "And why not?" some of my readers may ask. Who or what 

 is the gardener, that he should be distinguished or held in higher esteem than the 

 rest ? I do not wish to reflect, sneer, or in any way speak or write disparagingly of 

 these necessary and useful worthies ; they may discharge their various duties with 

 credit to themselves and to the satisfaction of their employers : but the requirements 

 of the gardener I conceive to be of a different and more important character than of 

 the others. He must be a man of mind, capable of thought, foresight, and reflection. 

 He has not only the same amount of manual labor to perform as the other domestics, 

 but his mental powers must be taxed — he must work with bead and bands too, or 

 he is no gardener. He is required, perhaps, to produce bunches of well-ripened Grapes 

 in May or June, while the waiter has merely to dish them and carry them to the table : 

 and in the same months, Cauliflowers, Cucumbers, and new Potatoes ; while the disci- 

 ple of Mrs. Glasse has merely to cook and serve them up. Poor blue-apron has first 

 catch the hare,''' which is certainly the most diflBcult part of the business, 

 ill next inquire why it is that a gardener is treated like a mere machine. 



