Education of Gardeners. 463 



Art. VI. Education of Gardeners. 



Emigration. " Sir, _ After reading the Second Number of your Magazine we 

 were quite lifted up with the hopes of being put up to some easy method of obtain- 

 ing a good education ; but we were as much disappointed when we saw your 

 article on the education, or rather the emigration, of gardeners. 



" In that article you recommend those gardeners who are too old or incapable 

 of receiving much instruction, to emigrate to America, &c, and engage themselves 

 as common country labourers of all work. It is not likely that an old man is 

 capable of acting upon any part of your recommendation. What, then, is to be- 

 come of him ? Like Adam, he is to be turned out of the garden, and sent to the 

 field ; but not for the same offence, certainly : the first was for eating of the fruit 

 of the tree of knowledge, and the last was, because he could eat no more. 



" Your recommendation might apply veiy well to those who are disinclined to, 

 or incapable of, much improvement ; but even to them you ought to have pointed 

 out the means of emigration, as change of profession would be of no use in a 

 country where so many thousands are out of employment, and would emigrate if 

 it were in their power. 



" Next come your hints to young gardeners, where you recommend to them 

 that they ' have no pleasures,' and ' lose no time,' &c. We know of no pleasures 

 that they can part with ; as all beyond what they take in the study of their busi- 

 ness is out of their reach, and for an obvious reason — want of money. It is a very 

 good advice to give to any one, that they lose no time ; and we are aware that 

 nothing valuable can be obtained without perseverance : but we were very much 

 disappointed in not seeing you follow up your promise, to shew us the best way 

 to work out our education. « A Middle-aged Gardener." 



It is evident that our correspondent does not belong to the class who ought 

 either to emigrate or change their profession. But as he writes no doubt in be- 

 half of our younger brethren, we thank him for his opinion, and shall fulfil our 

 promise by degrees. In the mean time he will find some hints for the employ- 

 ment of their winter evenings in our Encyclopaedia (p. 1138, 2d ed.), and some 

 books, worth purchasing for them, in our next Number. — Cond- 



Self- Education. " I perfectly agree with you on the importance of self-education 

 of gardeners, and for your fatherly advice on this head accept my best thanks ; and 

 I think every young gardener must hold himself indebted to you for it. I some- 

 what differ with you in opinion respecting transformation and emigration of gar- 

 deners ; the first meets my fixed opinion, but the latter, I think, will not answer 

 so well. I consider, that a man who has got a head fit to emigrate with, is fit to 

 remain at home ; if he has nothing but hard labour to look forward to, he will be 

 happier under it in his native land. I think it is necessary for an emigrant to 

 have either a full head or a full purse. 



" The observations on the self-education of gardeners require to be carried to 

 a greater extent. In the first place, their wages will not afford them books, and, 

 secondly, they are at a loss to know what books will come in cheapest and most 

 instructive. As a remedy for the first, I have sometimes thought of gardeners 

 forming clubs or societies for purchasing books ; and should feel very much grati- 

 fied if some of your numerous correspondents would suggest a plan for it, as I 

 think it would be very beneficial could it be accomplished. I beg the favour of 

 some of your more learned correspondents, or yourself (as I think no one more 

 able), to inform us what books a young gardener's library ought to contain for 

 his required education ; that is, such as come in for the least money, and contain 

 the most information ; where they are to be got, and what their prices arc. 



" I am, Sir, yours, &c. 



" Sensitiva." 



We have prepared such a list as our correspondent asks for, but find we have 

 not room for it in this Number. In the mean time we invite our readers to assist 

 us with some ideas on the subject. What book is to be got equivalent, in point of 

 comprehensiveness, to Macgregor's Mathematics, a school-book in general use in 

 Edinburgh about twenty-five years ago, but now out of print ? — Cond. 



I i Q 



