18 ON CARNATION CULTURE. 



I turn with more pleasure to the private friendly remark of one of 

 the best contributors to the Cabinet. He says, " I perceive by an 

 article written by you in Harrison's, that you recommend a young 

 beginner to purchase his plants in October, and not later than 

 November. This I consider bad advice in one respect, and good in 

 another. First, if he buys plants so late, the probability is that he 

 will lose them in wintering ; and second, the dealer is benefited, as he 

 will want a fresh supply. For my own part, the latter end of March 

 is best to purchase in, and I am borne out in this opinion by the 

 oldest growers, who ask a higher price then than they do in autumn, 

 and for this reason only, that there are no risks in wintering the 

 plants." I certainly see and admit the force of my friend's objection, 

 but I still think the risk of wintering is far more than counter- 

 balanced by the advantage of having one's plants well established 

 when the time comes for turning them out. When so planted out, 

 they have a much better chance than newly-bought plants, especially 

 if they have travelled a great distance ; and therefore, with all due 

 deference to my friend's great experience, I beg to adhere to my 

 former advice, to purchase in autumn, many winter losses being, in 

 my opinion, attributable to injudicious potting. 



In conclusion, I have always thought that gardeners ought to be 

 the happiest and best tempered men on the face of the creation. 

 Living, as they often do, apart from the bustle of commercial life, 

 and more immediately among those fine specimens which display the 

 generous benevolence of an Almighty hand, I have always thought 

 that their minds and dispositions might harmonize more than those of 

 other men with the unison of the universe which surrounds them 

 almost without interruption, and that they, of all men, might live at 

 peace with themselves and with every mortal creature, and might see 

 most plainly the connecting links of that chain which leads us 

 "To look through Nature up to Nature's God •.'.' 



and trusting that the next contribution of the " Journeyman Gar- 

 dener " will display more of this charitable and amiable disposition, 

 which is as pleasing to meet with in a floricultural publication as it is 

 endearing in private life, I shall not for the present trespass further 

 on your time and space. 



Felton Bridge End, March 10, 1842. 



