106 ^lASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



and better work, and consequently greater satisfaction and enjoy- 

 ment. The man who wants an indolent life is not fitted for a gar- 

 dener. INIany good men fail to do their best for want of courage, 

 and faith in themselves, and from lack of energy and ambition; 

 there are not so many failures from want of capacity. Herrick 

 says: — "The great man is not so great as folks think, nor the 

 stupid man so stupid as he seems." 



The late Peter Henderson, a great gardener, close observer, 

 and successful business man often said that he did not think there 

 was so much difference in the mental capacity of men as in their 

 courage, ambition, and industry. Have faith in yourselves and 

 loyalty to your employer. I am fond of the saying of Fra Elbertus 

 "If put to the point, an ounce of loyalty is worth a pound of clever- 

 ness." Don't be afraid to undertake all the time bigger things; 

 your ability will grow in your earnest attempts to accomplish; and, 

 don't be afraid of manual labor if occasion require; it will not 

 lessen, but increase your mental power. A stiffening and strength- 

 ening of the spinal column begets no weakness of the mind; "A 

 sound mind in a sound body." The immortal Lincoln split rails, 

 and it was only recreation for Gladstone to cut down immense 

 trees with an axe. The advantage of outdoor exercise is recog- 

 nized ever}"\vhere. The orator in the English Parliament exclaimed 

 "the Battlefields of England were won on the cricket fields of 

 Eton"; there was as much force in the rejoinder of the Irish 

 Member, "They were won on the bogs of Ireland." 



One of the most encouraging points in gardening is the improve- 

 ment in greenhouse architecture since the days of small glass and 

 heating by brick flues. Many of the more ambitious structures 

 of early date Avere failures for practical purposes; architecturally 

 effective, they were frequently poorly heated and otherwise defective 

 from a cultural standpoint. Thanks to frequent consultations in 

 recent years between architects and advanced gardeners, the more 

 modern houses have gained in appearance ami are almost perfect 

 in producing results. 



The problem of compensation for gardeners is an interesting 

 one; most gardeners think it is a poorly paid work and perhaps it 

 ds, considering how much has to be learned. I think, however, 

 ihe money reward rests largelv with the individual; there can be 



