THE SCIENTIFIC EDUCATIOX OF GARDENERS. 165 



bauds aud should he nieutiou the elenieuts as opposing forces, it 

 would not always be accepted as a valid excuse for the failure of 

 a crop. 



"While gardeners, through methods strictly scientific, have 

 succeeded in producing more novel forms or t^'pes in vegetable, 

 fruit, or flower thau all other men, they rarely profit from it 

 financially as well as they ought, because they are not S3'stematic 

 iu business methods. They do not apply their gifts to their own 

 profit; they let other men reap where thej'' have sown. 



Let us state a few facts in support of this assertion. Nearly 

 every prominent seedsman iu our country annually sends out some 

 "novelty" in plant, fruit, vegetable, or flower. The seeds or 

 plants of these are sold at no small profit. From whence does he 

 obtain these valuable acquisitions? Invariably from the gardener^ 

 whose keen discrimination has detected some little variation in. 

 form, color, or marking of a flower ; either a sport, a chance seed- 

 ling, or. perhaps the result of systematic cross-fertilization. He 

 may have discovered a plant remarkable for its vigor, and with 

 flowers larger, of more substance, and of a deeper color, than 

 the type. He selects the seeds from these aud, by careful,, 

 systematic selection, after years of patient, pleasant industry,, 

 establishes a type of superior merit. And W'hat is the result? He 

 shows the fruits of his industr}' at an exhibition and is justly 

 proud of the certificate or medal he has earned. His favorite 

 seedsman gets the stock for a mere song and creates a sensation 

 by the introduction of a "novelty" and makes a good profit, which 

 the gardener should share but rarel}'^ does. \Ye have known very 

 many instances of this kind ; in fact have profited by them, and 

 we can truly say that we do not know of an instance (and we have 

 followed seed growing for many years) where a seedsman ever 

 originated any one of the new varieties of vegetables or flowers 

 Avhich he has disseminated. It is the gardener, or agriculturist, to 

 whom we are indebted for all that is valuable in the way of new 

 varieties. 



The same is true of scientific knowledge in its relation to plant 

 culture, growth, or development. We are indebted to the gar- 

 dener for all the facts pertaining to these subjects, Avhich the 

 professional scientists are teaching. Practical knowledge can be 

 gained from no other source. If a man wants the real knowledge 

 of plants, he must go to the garden and learn it of the plant. He 



