144 



THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE OF AMERICA. 



more educational, ami many of them now manage to have an 

 essay or lecture at each meeting. Assistants are also being recog- 

 nized: for one of these societies has inaugurated a plan to awaril 

 a prize for exhibits made at each monthly meeting by assist- 

 ant gardeners, an<l this is likely to be followed by other'societies 

 as the practice comes to their notice. The co-operative move- 

 ment between various societies will bring about more serious 

 consideration of the problems which confront the profession of 

 gardening than has heretofore been given to them. 



As an answer to the question. "If your present day gardener 

 has gained success in this slip-shod manner, what is toliinder the 

 assistant from accom])lishing the same end?"— let it be said tliat 

 the day of the ■'rule of tliumb" methods is a thing of the past. 

 Efiiciency now counts with those engaged in gardening pist as it 

 does with those engaged in any othe'r vocation. If itiias aeeom- 

 jdished nothing more, the recent controversy on the gardeners' 

 problems has been fruitful in stirring- up discussion among those 

 most vitally interested— the gardeners themselves. We "shuiiU! 

 have more of it, and "Horticulture" is to be commended for tlie 

 space it is giving up to it. M. C. EIHEL. Secretary. 



National Association of (janh-]icr>. 



Editor Gardeners' Chronicle : 



I feel disposed to say a few words in resard to the wii inss of 

 various gardeners in the Chrdiiirlc and JlortiruJtiire. .Mr. Lisrun 

 evidently lias met witli a streak of hard lurk, because when he 

 compares conditions inevailins in Ensland and .Vmerira. his opin- 

 ion is in favor of the former. 



Now, as one who has had experience in Euglaud, Scotland, 

 Wales, Canada and -Vnierica. I cannot refrain from contributing 

 my mite of thought and experience. \\'hen he says that in com- 

 parison wages here are nil compared with the old world, makes 

 me think he is hi.mesick nv has not seen much of either countries. 



Now, to compare lioth England and America. A journeyman 

 receives from II' to 18 shillings per week, both milk and vegetables, 

 a total value of about .f.j. What is that in compaii.son to our 

 assistant of .$40 per mouth and board, or in Engli-h money £S 

 clear. He has had to pay a large premium to learn gardening 

 in .some important field of horticulture. 



He has to work from a. m. until .5 :30 p. m.. with half liour 

 deducted for breakfast and gn hour for dinner, and must work 

 very hard and not think he is a necessary part of the estalilisli- 

 ment. In many places he has (o work in fruit houses until dark. 

 In my early days we used to rise at 4 a. m. in summer to thin 

 grapes. Very rarely are any paid for overtime, but allowed Itl 

 days vacation. If he wants to attain a head gardener's position. 

 he has to .serve as foreman in a ncited place until he is over 30 

 years of age. being generally considered capable then, but it is 

 generally useless to try for a head place previous to this. 



lie also attends science and art classes and is generally a 

 fairly well educated journeyman. If he is successful in his de- 

 sire he must get married, not to suit himself or his partner, but 

 his boss. His wages are about £2 a week, with house, coal, milk, 

 vegetables and requisites, worth altogether in American money 

 about .$15 a week. Compare this with what many hi'ad gardeners 

 are receiving in .\merica. There are a few getting more in Eng- 

 land, but I have tried to give an average of the best paid places, 

 for many good men are recei\ing less. 



He must attend the village church and associate himself with 

 whatever political side his employer is on. He is not usually kept 

 if his family amounts to more than two children, and at the same 

 time his boss will go on a public platform and preach against 

 "Race Suicide," and advise his tenants not to emigrate. 



His family must dress neatly but not in any way to apiiro;)ch 

 his boss' kids. I knew a countess in the Midlands who met her 

 liead gardener's two small girls going to Sunilay school and they 

 were nicely clothed. Her ladyship stopped them ami asked whose 

 children they were. Tliey replied, Mr. .lones' children, my lady. 

 Her retort was. that they were better clothed than her own, 

 and the head gardener was dismissed. Now. this is a fact, I know 

 of it personally. This could never happen in .\merica. We can 

 do as we choose. 



Jlr. Liston sa.vs a gardener is a necessity because he is a pro- 

 ducer. I take issue with that. What a gardener produces are not 

 necessities, but luxuriant flowers, fruits, etc. To be a necessary 

 jiroducer the product wovdd have to pay for all expenses connected 

 therewith, and no private gardener makes a place pav. 



We cannot make a corner of our labor like the plumber, mason, 

 or any mechanic. We can only do our best to please our eni- 

 ployei's, and it conditions do not suit us we must suit ourselves 

 to the conditions, becaus? we are unnecessary. 



What then, we say, are the benefits to accrue from the N. A. (i. 

 and of what lasting benefit is to be derived from it? We all know 

 it cannot act as a salve for the wounded feelings of gardener or 

 employer. 



Sometimes it seems to give prominence to some head gardeners 

 «ho are more fortunate than the average in having a bos-i who 



allows them the strings of his purse and where expense does not 

 count in the least. 



We read about men who are leaders in horticulture, and smile 

 at file idea. It is easy to get a great name in America. That 

 is one of the privileges. But looking around the places of sinie 

 of these so-called leaders sometimes, we -fail to see wheie ihey 

 shine. Because a man is a large exhibitor does not s-ay he is a 

 successful gardener. Many excellent men are working as assis.an s 

 and making a great name for the man for whom tliey serve, an 1 

 without their assistance the head man would be helpless on many 

 occasions. Now. what the N. A. G. can do, I think, is to pro- 

 tect those who are in the profession as assistants, and try to keep 

 out those who are continually imported as head men. 



This is one of the perils to face. I am aware that a man who 

 points out faults and perils is as unpopular as the minister who 

 speaks the truth to his Hock each Sunday. Most societies are 

 formed to protect the worker. Now, why does not the N. A. G. 

 protect the gardener? is the cry of many, silently, but who have 

 not the courage to express their views in writing. But various 

 reasons compel many to maintain silence. 



.\ gardeners association in which me idiers aie divided cannot 

 prosper. 



-Mr. Liston speaks, 1 lielieve, about the benefits in England de- 

 rived from the British Gardeners' .Vsscciaticm. We aie much 

 better situated here. We also have in oar worthy secretary a man 

 who is very much alive and who is doing more for the gardener 

 than any one in the world, and it is our duty to help him. 



Trusting you will give this space in the CilltONicLE. 



W. R. FOWKES. 



MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY EXHIBITION, 

 AUGUST 8 AND g, 1914. 



The exhibition in Horticultural Hall on August 8 and 9 was 

 a truly magnificent one, and it is many years since Boston had 

 so beautiful, varied and extensive a summer >liow. Of the many 

 striking features the most noteworthy was tliat of .James Marl- 

 borough, superintendent to Thomas V.. I'roctor. Topsfield. Mass. 

 Mr. Marlborough has made many fine displays in the past, but 

 his exhiliit on this occasion of hundreds of colored caladiums in 

 over 12.J varieties, filling one-third of the main exhibition hall, 

 was wonderful. He arranged his plants in beds to (iroduce a gar- 

 den-like ell'ect. The pond of water within the central bed with 

 a fountain playing made the exhibit very refreshing on a warm 

 August day. A gold medal was awarded to 'Sly. Marlliorough : 

 also a silver medal for superior culture. 



(Jladioli were .shown in great numbers and of fine quality. The 

 leading exhibitors of these v.erc: \\'illiam Sim. Chamberlain & 

 Gage. B. Hammond Tracy, John Lewis Childs and William Whit- 

 man. The variety Myrtle won first prize for Chamberlain & Gage 

 for the best hamper or basket. Child's new Whitest White re- 

 ceived honorable mention. 



The show of hardy perennials was a magnificent one. R. & .1. 

 Farcpibar & Coni]iaiiy had an immense display all set up. so had 

 tlic Eastern Nurseries. Bay State Nurseries. Frederick H. I!ea. 

 William Page and Mount Desert Nurseries. 



E. F. Duye & Son had a fine collection of dahlias. P. J. Rooney 

 was awarded a certificate of merit for peony flowered dahlia. Mrs. 

 Fred Griiiiiell. A^'illiam Nicholson had vases of the newer forms 

 of Buddleia variabilis. A. M. Davenport had massive flower heads 

 of heliotrojies. H. Stewart, gardener to Miss C. Warren, showed 

 a fine lot of greenhouse and outdoor cut flowers. 



In the com|ietitivc classes F. 1. Rea. T. C. Tbarlow's Sons. M. 

 Sullivan, gardener to William Whitman and F3astern Nurseries, 

 secured the prizes for jierennial phlox classes. For gladioli 

 William Sim, Chamberlain & Gage and Geo. Page, gardener to 

 Mrs. Frederick Ayer. were winners, and Martin Sullivan swept 

 the deck in the aster classes. For one hundred vases of annuals, 

 not less than thirty species, William Thatcher, gardener to Mrs. 

 J. L. Gardner: George Melvin. gardener to Col. Oiarles PfafT. and 

 Martin Sullivan won in the order named. 



There were splendid displays of fruits and vegetables. A cul- 

 tural certificate was awarded to William Downs, gardener to E. S. 

 Webster, for splendid Lord Napier nectarines. A certificate of 

 merit was also awarded to the estate of W. C. Jennison for the 

 finest cultivated blueberries I have ever seen, the fruit being 

 nearly as large as cherries. For fifteen varieties of vegetables 

 arranged for efl'ect, Edward Parker, gardener to Oliver Ames, was 

 first and E. L. Lewis, gardener to Col. Frederick Mason, second. 



It was a thousand pities that this fine exhibition could not 

 have been arranged for convention week, as it would have proved 

 vastly more interesting from a horticultural standpoint than the 

 stereotvped so-called "trade exhibitions" given bv the S. A. F. 



W. X. CRAIG. 



