THE NEW GARDENER 251 



better understanding with his employer, with whom it 

 has been a common complaint that the old-type profes- 

 sional is an unprogressive flower-gardener. At the same 

 time the new gardener will grow Grapes, hardy fruit and 

 kitchen-garden crops successfully, always provided that 

 several years of his early life have been passed in a good 

 garden. But this is vital. Colleges alone cannot turn out 

 first-class all-round gardeners, even when they have 

 fairly large and well-equipped gardens ; because the 

 practical work which they do is experimental where it is 

 not frankly commercial. The function of the college is 

 to educate, of the garden to inform. 



Should the gardener of the future be encouraged to 

 specialize, or should he be restrained from giving par- 

 ticular attention to one kind of plant ? 



It is an age of specialization. The times demand 

 specialists. The development of science has been so great 

 that it is impossible for any man to become a master of 

 several great subjects. He must either be a specialist or 

 a dilettante. 



Gardening, which is held so lightly by many unreflect- 

 ing people, and looked upon as more or less of an amuse- 

 ment, is a great subject. Take up a gardening dictionary, 

 turn over its pages, and make a rapid calculation of the 

 number of kinds of plants described in it. There will 

 prove to be several thousands, and the majority require 

 different methods of culture in some detail or other. Add 

 to these thousands of genera the species of each, which 

 may number scores and in some cases run to hundreds. 

 Let it be remembered that many of the species have also 

 different requirements. Next consider the hybrids and 

 varieties of the species, which are almost innumerable, 

 and are multiplied in thousands every year. Of popular 

 flowers like Roses, Carnations, Dahlias, Sweet Peas and 



