A LOOK ABOUT US. 63 



entirely abandoned in this country for sound healthy seedlings, 

 raised directly from vigorous parents. 



Far as we are in advance of Europe, at this moment, in the 

 matter of pomology, we are a long way behind in all that relates to 

 ornamental gardening. Not that there is not a wonderfully growing 

 taste for ornamental gardening, especially in the northern and east- 

 ern States. Not, indeed, that we have not a number of country 

 places that would be respectable in point of taste and good cultiva- 

 tion every where. But the popular feeling has not fairly set in this 

 direction, and most persons are content with a few common trees, 

 shrubs, and plants, when they might adorn their lawns and gardens 

 with species of far greater beauty. 



One of the greatest drawbacks to the satisfaction of pleasure- 

 grounds, in this country, is the want of knowledge as to how they 

 should be arranged to give rapid growth and fine verdure. The 

 whole secret, as we have again and again stated, is the deep soil ; 

 if not naturally such, then made so by deep culture. Even the best 

 English gardeners (always afraid, in their damp climate, of canker, 

 if the roots go downwards) are discouraged, and fail in our plea- 

 sure-grounds, from the very fineness and dryness of our climate, be- 

 cause they will not trench trench trench ! as we all must do, to 

 have satisfactory lawns or pleasure-grounds. 



And this reminds us that a great want in the country, at the 

 present time, is a sort of practical school for gardeners ; not so 

 much to teach them from the outset for ninety-nine hundredths 

 of all our gardeners are Europeans as to naturalize their know- 

 ledge in this country. If one of the leading horticultural societies, 

 with ready means (that of Boston, for example), would start an 

 experimental garden, and making, by an agency abroad, some ar- 

 rangement with deserving gardeners wishing to emigrate, take these 

 freshmen on their arrival, and carry them through a season's prac- 

 tice in the experimental garden, and let them out at the end of a 

 year really good gardeners for our climate, they would do an incal 

 culable service to the cause of horticulture, and to thousands of 

 employers, besides getting their own gardens (like that of the Lon- 

 don Horticultural Society) cultivated at a little cost. 



It may be said that gardeners would not enter such a prepara- 



