For July. 1922 



209 



a Latin word and mc-ans. variable. The varietal name of 

 one is obtuse, a Latin word meaning, obtuse; of two, 

 latifolia, Latin word meaning broad-leaved ; of three a«- 

 giistifoliii, a Latin word meaning narrow-leaved. Now 

 hereafter when in your country- walks you see this plant 

 you certainly will easily recall its name, as you note the 

 form of its leaves, and how plants near each other vary 

 in foliage, and say this is Sagittaria ivriabilis. 



"This plant is a true aquatic, but always grows in shal- 

 low water. I had to wade to gather this specimen and I 

 had to reach down to the bottom to obtain this piece of 

 creeping rootstock from which the heart-shaped leaves 

 and the one-lea\ed stem of this plant spring. This is the 

 only specimen we have with us which grows up from a 

 subterranean stem, which is called a rhizome, or root- 

 stock. Note how roots put forth from tlie nodes of this 

 rhizome, but the leaves and flower stem from its apex. 

 Other commonly seen plants which spring up from root- 

 stocks are Aconis calaniiis, Sweet Flag, and Iris versicol- 

 or, Flower-De-I.nce. The violet-blue flowers of this plant 

 have wilted already ; that is because they are ephemeral, 

 that is last onlv for a day, Greek again, cpi for, Jicmera 

 a day. Not a few plants have been named in honor 

 of some scientist, usually a botanist. The generical 

 name of this is Pontederia, named after Ponte- 

 dera, a professor at Padua in the beginning of the last 

 century, and its specific name is cordata, from the Latin, 

 cor, heart, so called on account of its leaves, some of which 

 YOU note are heart-shaped. Its common name is Pickerel- 

 Weed, so called because that fish in hot summer days likes 

 to lie under the shade of its leaves. When next you visit 

 the shallow-watered cove of some pond or river look for 

 this rather pretty aquatic, Pontederia cordata, the upper 

 lobe of whose violet-blue perianth is marked with two 

 yellow spots, a feature which you will easily note in the 

 fresh flower." 



At this point "That IJotanical Chap" suddenly looked 

 at his watch and immediately began to repack his speci- 

 mens, saying as he so did : "Next time I call I will bring 

 along with me some specimens, my botany, a botanical 

 microscope et cetera, and we will analyze together some 

 plants unknown to you and in this way learn their names." 



THE TRAINING OF GARDENERS 



'T'HE Massachusetts Agricultural College takes pleasure 

 in announcing a co-operative arrangement with the 

 National Association of Gardeners whereby a special 

 course of training for gardeners is to be established. 

 Tentative plans for this course are set forth below, and 

 it is expected that the first pupils under this arrange- 

 ment will l)e admitted to Massachusetts Agricultural Col- 

 lege with the opening of the Fall term Sept. 27, 1922. 



PfRrCSE 



The traditional training of gardeners in Europe has 

 been conducted (hrough a well-established apprentice sys- 

 tem. This training requires several years of practical 

 work in various branches of the art. The American sys- 

 tem, by contrast, has developed extended courses in school 

 and college giving scientific and thenretical training, with 

 a minimum of practical experience. In the present plan 

 the attempt is made to combine these two systems with the 

 hope of securing the benefits of both. The Massachusetts 

 Agricultural College will conduct the theoretical instruc- 

 tion, while the National Association of Gardeners will 

 take the responsibility of directing a prescribed appren- 

 ticeship. These two lines of work will be carefully co- 

 ordinated and pupils will be held to a strict accountability 

 in both. 



This course of training is planned with the expectation 



of fitting men for practical gardening, either as commer- 

 cial gardeners, florists or nurserymen conducting produc- 

 tive business enterprises of their own, or as gardeners 

 on estates, foremen and superintendents in parks or ceme- 

 teries, or as gardeners, florists or nurserymen in the em- 

 ploy of commercial establisliments. 



Pl.\n 



The general plan of instruction is based upon the two- 

 year course already in successful operation at Massachu- 

 setts Agricultural College. Students fitted to take the 

 course will be admitted each year in September, and will 

 remain in residence at the College for six months. During 

 this time they will pursue general studies in fruit growing, 

 rto^ver growing, vegetable growing, forestry, general hor- 

 ticulture and such elementary subjects as may be neces- 

 sary. These classes will close the last week in Alarch and 

 students will be sent to various commercial establishments 

 and private estates for a Summer of practical work. 

 Every effort will be made to see that pupils are advan- 

 tageously placed so as to secure the best possible experi- 

 ence; and this Summer's apprenticeship will be supervised 

 by a committee representing jointly the Massachusetts 

 Agricultural College and the National Association of 

 Gardeners. 



.A.t the end of the Summer students will return to the 

 College for an additional period of nine months' study. 

 They will thus complete this part of the course in the fol- 

 lowing June, and if successful will receive a certificate 

 from the College. From this point they will enter upon 

 an apprenticeship of two years, to be arranged and super- 

 vised by the National Association of Gardeners. .\t the 

 end of this time they will be examined by a special board 

 and if successful will receive the diploma of the National 

 -Association of Gardeners. 



AoillSSION 



Students must be 17 years of age or over at the time of 

 admission and must have completed an elementary school 

 course or its equivalent, and must be able to use the Eng- 

 lish language with reasonable facility. Lnder the plan 

 proposed special consideration will be given to- pupils 

 coming upon the recommendation of the National Asso- 

 ciation of Gardeners. 



Expenses 

 Tuition at the Massachusetts Agricultural College is 

 free to citizens of the state. Pupils from outside the state 

 are ,-harged $60 a term. This will make the tuition 

 charge for the first year $120 and for the second year 

 $180. There are small laboratory fees charged in certain 

 courses and other fees for incidentals, but these will not 

 average above $10 a term. Hoard and room in Amherst 

 cost from $8 to $12 a week. 



IXF0RM.\TJ0N 



This work will all be under the co-operative manage- 

 ment of the ^lassachusetts Agricultural College and the 

 National Association of Gardeners. This association is 

 represented for the present by the following members of 

 its Executive Committee : ^Ir. Robert Cameron, Ipswich, 

 Mass.; Mr. William N. Craig, Brookline, iNIass., and Mr. 

 AI. C. Ebel, New York. The immediate direction of in- 

 struction will be in the hands of Professor Frank A. 

 Waugh, Amherst, Mass., to whom may be addressed all 

 correspondence regarding these matters. 



"W'hatever the weather may be," says he, 

 "^\"hateyer the weather may be, 

 It's the song ye sing, and the smiles ye wear, 

 That's a-makin' the sun shine everywhere.'' 



James Whitcomb Riley 



