226 GARDENING FOR PLEASURE. 



they can accomplish extraordinary results in the propa- 

 gation and culture of plants. I can well remember, in 

 my early days, that the nursery propagator was looked 

 upon as a sort of demi-god, possessing secrets known 

 only to himself and a favored few, whose interest it was 

 to continue to throw dust in the eyes of every young as- 

 pirant after knowledge. The door of the propagating 

 house was locked and bolted, as if it were a Bastile, and 

 even the proprietor (if he were unfortunate enough not 

 to have practical knowledge) was allowed entrance only 

 as a special favor ; for his propagator was an autocrat, 

 of whom he stood in awe and reverence. But since the 

 advent of horticultural publications in America, particu- 

 larly during the past fifteen or twenty years, the "secrets" 

 of these pretentious fellows have had such ventilation, 

 that now nearly every operation of the greenhouse is as 

 well understood by the tens of thousands engaged in the 

 business, as the operations of the farm are by the farmer. 



The most of these pretenders to this sscret knowledge 

 of horticulture are foreigners, though occasionally a nati ve 

 tries it on. Some twenty years ago, when the grape-vine 

 mania was at its hight, an old Connecticut farmer pre- 

 tended he had discovered a new method of propagating 

 the grape, which he would impart for a consideration to 

 the highest bidder. He issued a profusion of hand bills 

 to the trade, asking for bids, modestly requesting the re- 

 ceiver of the hand bill to hang it up in a conspicuous 

 place. 



I sent my copy to my friend Meehan, of the Gardener's 

 Monthly, saying that the pages of that magazine were 

 the most conspicuous place I knew of to comply with the 

 wish of the old gentleman. Mr. Meehan not only in- 

 serted the advertisement gratis, and in the most conspicu- 

 ous manner, but he did more, for he appended below the 

 advertisement a few remarks I had ventured to make on 

 the subject. This opened the ball, and for six months 



