24 CORDON TRAINING. 



CHAP. IY. 



DEFECTS OF SOME METHODS OF FRUIT 

 CULTURE. 



No doubt the climate of our country has many 

 faults to answer for ; its severe spring frosts are 

 indefensible ; its vicissitudes are highly reprehen- 

 sible ; and as to its autumnal gales, which shake 

 off the hopes of the season prior to their complete 

 maturity, if that period ever does occur, accord- 

 ing to a noted French authority, the least a 

 patriot can say in their defence, the better for 

 his truthfulness. 



But has the art of Horticulture nothing to 

 answer for ? It is true we can point to noble 

 /' examples, such as Lindley, Rivers, Thompson, 

 N Knight, or Duhamel, Van Mous, and many 

 /.others; but it is when gardening is practised by 

 men of moderate incomes that we are astonished 

 at its mediocre results. The chief reason is, that 

 the lower class of hired gardeners is often igno- 

 rant, prejudiced, and traditional in a wonderful 

 degree. But so widely spread is the love of 



