CHAPTER XXIX. 



EXPERIMENT IN GARDENING. 



I HAVE referred in many places to the results of experiments 

 which I have conducted in my own garden. And the 

 purpose of the present chapter is to urge all readers to try 

 experiments. " Experiment in gardening " has been for 

 some time my " pet " hobby, and it is not often that a year 

 goes by without it. 



I have been fortunate in having opportunities of 

 discussing the subject of Experiment with many gardeners, 

 professional and amateur. Now it is a fact that a large 

 proportion of gardeners never make experiments at all, 

 and when asked why, reply that they regard experiments 

 as waste of time, labour, and money, and that results of 

 any value cannot be got by ordinary people like themselves. 

 Or perhaps that they are not scientists ; that they do not 

 understand scientific methods ; or that it is impossible 

 to get results in a single year which are worth the labour 

 expended upon them. 



Having had a good dose of the work myself, I am able 

 to speak from experience, and as regards results, it may 

 be necessary to continue for several years. But why not ? 



Patience is a virtue ; no experiment can be conducted 

 without it. Some of my gardener friends tell me that their 

 patience will last out for a year, but not longer. They may 

 be on the verge of getting some interesting result, but after 

 the twelve months they " throw the thing up and go back 

 to ordinary gardening again." 



Not very long ago I was reading an interesting book by 

 Mr. W. S. Harwood, entitled " New Creations in Plant 



236 



