102 Retrospective Criticism. 



deners when they make the reports of the prizes awardeJ. By this means 

 the gardener is in a great measnre deprived of his merit. It is well known 

 that gardeners are, for the most part, the cultivators of the rare productions 

 brought for inspection into the rooms of the society. If the gardeners have 

 not a share of praise given to them at these times, I am afraid they will 

 slacken their exertions in cultivation. If ever this take place, then a 

 falling off of those societies will be the result. It also discourages the 

 young gardener, and prevents him from exerting himself to obtain that 

 praise that would be due to him. In the next place, should a gardener 

 change his situation, his practical character is already knov/n ; it remains 

 no longer within the hands of a few individuals, but becomes general, a cir- 

 cumstance which would remove many inconveniences attending gardeners 

 out of situations. Much more might be done to make these few observ- 

 ations useful towards encouraging gardeners to become spirited members of 

 these societies, but finding myself imable to enter into general argument, I 

 humbly submit the above for your consideration, and remain yours, &c. 

 — James RoUins. Dingle Bank, Jan. 5. 1829. 



Our correspondent has hit upon the true value of Horticultural Societies 

 to practical gardeners, which is, to make their professional merits publicly 

 known, and thus to put it beyond the power of individuals of any descrip- 

 tion, whether verbally or by what are called written characters, to subtract 

 from the precise degree of practical excellence which they may have at- 

 tained; and thus, perhaps, prevent them from obtaining such places as they are 

 capable of fdling. A practical gardener, who has written some papers in 

 any of theTransactions ofthe different Horticultural Societies of the country 

 or in the Gardener's Magazine, and who has exhibited in competition at 

 public meetings, fruits and vegetables, and received prizes for them, maj'be 

 said to have established for himself, before the gardening world, a profes- 

 sional character as unquestionable as the specific character of a known 

 plant. The facts, that is the papers written and the fruits exhibited, being 

 recorded in the Gardener's Magazine, this character becomes known to all 

 the brethren, and especially to the nurserymen, who, if they thought it 

 worth while, might easily keep a list of such gardeners, with short specific 

 professional characters as under : — 



James Green. — Prof. Char. Author of papers on turnips, peaches, and 

 ferns, in Caledon. Trans., vol. i. and ii. ; on pomj)ions, in Land. Hurt. Trans., 

 vol. iv. ; on celerj', endive, laying out a garden, and the Carolina poplar, in 

 Gard. I\fag., vols, ii., iii., and iy., in which also the essence of his other 

 papers are given. 



Exhibited. — -At Dundee, broccoli and auriculas (Gard. Mag., vol. iii.); 

 at Perth, sugar-loaf cabbages, peaches, and a Hortus siccus {Gard. Mag., 

 vol. iii.); at Edinburgh, grapes, pines, and melons {Gard. Mag., vol. iv.) 

 In all, two medals, two books, one snuffbox, one knife, one foot-rule, and 

 four times thanks recorded. 



The moral character of a gardener is. a different thing from his profes- 

 sional character; though it is quite impossible for any man to keep up a 

 regular succession of crops of vegetables and fruits for a family without 

 being of sober, attentive, and reflective habits. If to these, the ordinary 

 duties of a gardener, the cares of forcing are added, and lie is successful, 

 such is the vigilance rccjuired for this part of the profession, that it is al- 

 most impossible that the operator should be otherwise than sober and at- 

 tentive. However, in keeping what may be called the specific character of 

 gardeners, nurserymen might add their moral and biographical character, 

 thus : — 



James Gkeen, — Prof. Char. As above. 



Moral and Biog. Char. Born in Dundee, 5 ft. 10 in. high, healthy and 

 vigorous, 45 years of age, 15 years married, three children ; apprentice at 

 Red Hill J two years in the Edinburgh Botanic Garden, head-gardener in 



