EXPERT GARDEN WORKMEN. 69 



pensable to admit of the quick escape of water. This 

 drainage, so called, is not alone of use as a means for the 

 rapid escape of water, but also for the admission of air to 

 the roots, which brings in another important matter in 

 connection with the drainage in pots, ' the necessity of 

 standing them on some rough material (when solid 

 benches are used in the greenhouse, or when placed in 

 the open air in beds), such as gravel or cinders ; for if 

 placed on sand, soil, or anything that will close up the 

 orifice in the bottom of the pot, all the drainage placed 

 in it will avail nothing. It is far better to use no drain- 

 age at all, and stand the pots on a rough surface, than to 

 use the drainage and place the pots on some material that 

 will close the outlet. If, however, the bench is formed 

 of slate, or boards that have been cemented over, so as to 

 form a smooth surface, there is no necessity for placing 

 any gravel or other rough material under the pots, as such 

 a surface will allow the water to pass from the pots more 

 freely than if anything, such as gravel, were placed undet 

 them. For very large pots slatted benches are best. 



CHAPTER XIII. 

 EXPERT GARDEN WORKMEN. 



In my long experience with workmen, I have observed 

 that, other things being equal, the man who could move 

 his hands quickest, was almost certain to be the man 

 most successful in life. Rapid movement of the hands in 

 such light operations as writing or typesetting, argue 

 quick mental decision, and if such a mind is well-balanced, 

 its possessor is more likely to distinguish himself than he 

 who moves more sluggishly. Now, two- thirds of all garden 

 operations particularly those of flower gardening are 



