TEACHERS' DIFFICULTIES 125 



the men away in the trenches are doing unselfish 

 acts, the least they can do, to be worthy of them, is 

 to fulfil the various offices in tending the plants 

 that are given into their charge. 



New resolves are then made, often tears are 

 brushed away, and with a salute from all to the 

 ensign which flies from a flagstaff on the roof 

 garden, this touching little ceremony comes to an 

 end and we hope that for some days the plants in 

 the houses feel satisfied with the extra attention 

 that is paid them. 



With us, even when peace reigns and our staff 

 is complete, the students still do all greenhouse 

 work. Watering, potting, stoking, ventilating, 

 everything rests with them, and a roster is arranged 

 by which the most painstaking student is put in 

 charge of certain houses, whilst others, perhaps 

 beginners, have a short apprenticeship under her. 

 The tedious part for the instructors is that no sooner 

 has a head student thoroughly mastered the treat- 

 ment required for certain plants than it becomes 

 necessary, in order to give all a chance of learn- 

 ing, to promote another to take her place. Unless 

 very exact and carefully-worded instructions are 

 given out, plants are apt to suffer during this change 

 of " hands." Those who have had to deal with the 

 difficulties of teaching a new nursery-maid will fully 

 sympathise with all that has to be overcome in a 

 gardening school in order to safeguard plants. 



A few of the notices that are posted up in the 

 students' office show plainly that, under the right 

 kind of jurisdiction, plants have to be handled as 

 tenderly as children. 



