346 RemarJis on the State of Gardeiiing^ 



kept in that degree of neatness which it deserves, and which 

 ought to be the first consideration to a professional gardener. 

 His collection of plants is, however, at times respectable, 

 especially after his journeys in Belgium; but, as his best plants 

 are purchased on commission, the practical amateur must not 

 look for culture in his garden, except as far as regards his 

 standard rose trees ; with regard to which, he, in common with 

 his countrymen generally, far surpasses the English, both in 

 budding and grafting. 



M. Fondeur, a market-gardener at Lille, though at pi'esent 

 not high in his profession, is one who is evidently rising in the 

 estimation of amateurs, and who will before long, from his 

 civility and urbanity of manners, be a great favourite in the 

 botanical world. Like all the French gardeners, he cultivates 

 the rose in perfection, and at a very reasonable price. 



The gardeners on the Continent, in the same manner as 

 the shopkeepers, have a way of asking for their plants much 

 more money than they will take; which, to English ears, sounds 

 very much like imposition, and which, if not so in reality, I 

 consider as against their own interest; because, should a gar- 

 dener ask, by chance, a fair price for his plant, the buyer will 

 still suppose that he has asked too much, from it being the 

 practice generally to do so. Many, also, have a foolish way of 

 proceeding, which is, to undersell their neighbours; and would 

 almost give a plant for nothing, rather than their neighbour should 

 sell one instead of themselves. This is, in more than one 

 instance, against their interest ; as they not only lose their 

 money by their jealousy, but they cause those from whom they 

 purchase plants to be very shy of dealing with them. Were 

 the Continental gardeners to ask a fair price for their plants, 

 and to come to an agreement not to undersell each other, ihey 

 would receive much more liberal treatment from the London 

 gardeners; whereas the Continental gardeners do not give 

 encouragement to the London gardeners to treat them well ; 

 for, the moment they receive a new plant from London, they 

 endeavour to multiply it as quickly as possible, which, in our 

 fine vegetable soil, is not an affair of much time. It is then sold at 

 considerably less than what it can be purchased for of the original 

 possessor; and, if two gardeners happen to have the same plant, 

 they are not wise enough to sell it at a fixed price, but their 

 jealousy is such, that one of them would let it go for little or 

 nothing, rather than the other should sell it. 



The country between Ghent and Antwerp is flat; but, until 

 the traveller arrives at Beveren, there are but few countries to 

 be found of greater fertility. In the neighbourhood of Lock- 

 eren and St. Nicholas very fine flax is grown, second only to 

 that in the neighbourhood of Courtrai. This part of Flanders 



