The Gardeners' Co-operative Movement 



Co-operation between the National Association of 

 Gardeners and the gardeners' local societies had its incep- 

 tion at the meeting" of the executive board of the gar- 

 deners' national organization held in New Vork in Janua- 

 ry last. The prevading opinion at that meetuig was that 

 the association had reached a state where it is to be re- 

 garded as solidly founded, recognized as an influential 

 factor in ornamental horticulture, with a membership 

 representative of the best element within the gardening 

 profession — and that the time had arrived for it to take 

 some definite action to benefit the profession which it 

 represents. 



Co-operating with the local societies, it was agreed, 

 would afford the greatest opportunities for effective work 

 of national scope ; thus it was decided to communicate 

 with the different local societies throughout the country 

 to obtain their views on such a movement. The response 

 was so favorable that at the meeting of the executive 

 board held in Philadelphia, in April, the co-operative plan 

 was placed into being and an invitation was extended to 

 the local societies to have those desiring to participate in 

 the movement appoint a committee of three members of 

 their society to work in conjunction with the committee 

 of the national association, which committee is to be known 

 as the National Co-operative Committee. As enough of 

 the local societies have already appointed committees to 

 assure sufficient support from different parts of the coun- 

 try to make the movement a success the National Com- 

 mittee is preparing to begin its activity in the early fall, 

 being now engaged in working out the details of its 

 campaign. : 



Just what can be attained through a co-operative move- 

 ment between the local societies and conducted through 

 a national source cannot be foretold, for it will depend 

 largely on the interest taken by those who engage in it. 

 If the various committees can be sufificientl}- interested 

 to seriously engage in the work before them much can 

 be accomplished for the good of the gardening profession 

 as a whole ; and incidentally for the development of the 

 local societies themselves. It will require whole-souled 

 energy on the part of those entrusted with the undertak- 

 ing to produce the expected results. Half-hearted effort 

 will not aid but will retard the cause. There are those 

 who regard possible success of this movement which in- 

 volves relying on scattered sources with much scepticism ; 

 but I believe that there are members in every gardeners' 

 society who, if they find that they can serve their profes- 

 sion, will willingly give the time to do so; and who can 

 be relied on to perform the functions of a committee 

 which a movement such as the one under discussion will 

 call for. 



The membership roll of the National Association of 

 Gardeners spreads over practically every state in the 

 Union so that its mission is not in any sense a local one. 

 but is a national one ; while the influence of a local society 

 is in most instances confined to the sphere of the com- 

 mimity in which it is located. The gardeners' problems 

 concern both their national and local societies and work- 

 ing out their solution is the business of both of them. 

 Conditions in all communities are not alike, but the un- 

 favorable ones where they do exist are closely related in 

 most cases. Through co-operation many of the condi- 

 tions may be improved. To strengthen the profession 

 conditions governing it should be more uniform ; more 

 alike in every direction that the profession reaches. By 

 studying the general conditions systematicallv, endeavor- 

 ing to eliminate the bad and trying to better the good in 

 them, the profession cannot fail to benefit : and such 



benefit will reflect in the individuals who are entitled to 

 the calling of gardener. 



.Most garaeuers, especially the younger men who are 

 not yet nrmiy establisned, are as much interested m the 

 probable cou.pensation they will derive trom their pro- 

 lession as tney are m any other phase which enters mio it, 

 and this is but human nature ; lor experience has taugnt 

 that It costs to live, although now and tnen the sentimen- 

 tally inclined suggest that the gardener must find his real 

 compensation in the joy he derives out of his vocation. 

 Opportunity is presenting itself for a campaign of educa- 

 tion in a co-operative way for improving what is now a 

 very unsatisfactory situation ; for it is only too true that 

 the gardeners themselves are as much to blame as are the 

 employers, for the poor remuneration that comes to so 

 many of them and which often is out of all proportion to 

 the responsibilities they are expected to assume. To 

 substantiate this contention it is only necessary to allude 

 to the practice of many gardeners when seeking a posi- 

 tion, who, on learning of a vacancy, file their applications 

 specifying salary expected, without considering as to 

 whether the position applied for warrants a better salary 

 than asked, or whetfier they are even qualified to apply 

 for it. They have simply made up their mind to secure 

 the position if they can and have just one object in mind 

 — to get employment at so much a month. Through 

 this practice many good opportunities have been spoiled 

 and as a consequence thereof estate owners engaging un- 

 fitted men have become disgusted with their experience 

 in attempting to maintain country estates ; and they are 

 frequently wont to blame the profession as a whole for 

 their experience with a fe\v individuals in it. To educate 

 the estate owner that a gardener thoroughly efficient in 

 his profession is entitled to more than the most of them 

 are disposed to pay will make it necessary to strike at the 

 root of the evil. The fact must be made known to these 

 owners that the men who proffer their services for small 

 pay almost invariably are small men in the profession : 

 that a capable gardener is entitled to, and expects proper 

 compensation for his services, just as do the capable men 

 in other professions. 



It should not be amiss to suggest here that salaries within 

 the gardening profession can never be regulated, or fixed, 

 as some choose to call it, either through co-operation or 

 by means of any other methods. Professional gardening 

 will always be looked upon as acquired lu.xury by those 

 who employ it and not as a fixed necessity. This will 

 prohibit the enforcement of any regulations such as gov- 

 ern trades and labor in general, and those who are pos- 

 sessed of the knowledge and skill required of the thor- 

 ough gardener must rejoice over the fact that they are 

 above the domination of such reg^ulations. What is nec- 

 essary is to establish a closer relationship between em- 

 ployer and gardener ; and to instill a greater confidence 

 in the gardeners' ability ; and to arouse a greater interest 

 on the part of the owner in wdiat his gardener is produc- 

 ing for him. When this confidence and interest is once 

 properly created, the relationship of employer and gar- 

 dener will become such that compensation will be a mat- 

 ter of individual adiustment and not to be fixed as is from 

 time to time advocated that is should be. 



That the profession has not gained the recognition to 

 which it is justly entitled, is due to the almost total ignor- 

 ance of people as a whole regarding the essentials to 

 properlv fit a man for the calling of gardener ; for it is 

 commonly accepted that any man who can hoe, dig and 

 sow is qualified to pass as a gardener. Only few people 

 know of the years that must be spent in hard work and 



